Our Sea Of Today
by Furinjuru
Summary: Things weren't looking good for You in her first year. Her school's closing down, and she feels like her friendships are decaying. But things weren't just bad, they were also kinda weird. A helicopter tried to kill her, and her upperclassmen are crazy. An AU where You is a first year, while Yoshiko and Dia are second years. (You-centric, ChikaDiaYoshi-centric)
1. Prologue

Hello everyone! This is only a brief (okay, it actually ended up really long) opening containing facts and headcanons to help lay down the foundation of the plot. I don't think I'll change anything about this chapter once the first real chapter is posted, but if someone asks me about a specific fact and I decide to add something in, I'll make sure to inform everyone about any additions.

Note, this will technically spoiler a few 'backstories' of the characters, so if you want to be surprised by it, then just skip to where I talk about the birth dates.

This fic is an AU based on the very first version of Aqours in the magazine, and will mostly focus on You's perspective, with some chapters focusing on another character's. In this universe, Yoshiko and Dia are both second years, while You is a first year (Everyone else stays in their anime years). Just from that, I thought that a few things would have changed from the anime, while some would stay the same.

-Kanan, Mari, and Dia are still childhood friends, but because they're in different years, **the original Aqours with only the three of them never formed.**

 **-Mari still left to study abroad in her first year.** I imagine this going a lot more peacefully compared to the anime scenario. She wanted to stay for her friends, but she didn't have a good excuse other than that (in the anime, her excuse was that she was a school idol). After some gentle persuasion from the school and her family, as well as from Kanan, she decided to do it. To put it simply, imagine that she's Kotori, and Kanan is Umi during the last few episodes of season 1 in the first LL.

-During her second year, **Kanan became the student council president**. However, she's inactive when the new school year starts. She didn't go to school for a while to help her family run the diving shop (reason for doing so is the same as in the anime).

-Dia, depressed that her other childhood friend is abroad, became more reclusive and shy, similar to her childhood self. During this period, **Dia discovered idols.**

-Kanan, Chika, and You are also still childhood friends, no changes there.

-After You graduated from junior high, her family took her on a celebration on her dad's ship. Because of this conflicting schedule, **Chika didn't go to Tokyo like she did in episode 1.**

-Instead, **she discovered idols in her first year, after befriending the reclusive Dia.** A few weeks after they became friends, Dia invited Chika to her house, and didn't have time to hide the posters and other memorabilia in her room. Luckily, Chika didn't judge her, but instead became interested in them.

-So during the holiday between their first year and second year, the two would meet up often and chat about idols and other things, with Dia leading most of the conversations because she's been in idol hell the longest. A few weeks before school starts again, Dia showed her START:DASH, followed by the last few songs of µ's (Angelic Angel, SUNNY DAY SONG, and BokuHika). This is what prompted Chika's sudden idol craze.

 **-Chika** , being the genki orange that she is, **managed to get another close friend during her first year, Yoshiko**. After an odd introduction during the first day of school, Yoshiko didn't go to school for a few days. Since she visits Numazu often to hang out with You, Chika volunteered to lend her notes (they're Dia's notes) and give her the homework she missed. They became close, and Yoshiko talked about her fallen angel thing to Chika. Without hesitating, Chika said that it was completely fine and accepted it.

-When Yoshiko returned to school, **she and Dia also became friends**. She doesn't get idols, and DIa doesn't get the fallen angel thing, but they both accept each other's hobbies. Dia begins to open up thanks to their help, while helping them study whenever they have an exam coming up.

 **-This also helps her become close to Ruby** , which means she dotes on her even more.

 **-Ruby discovers idols after Dia does, but before Chika.** She was the first person Dia told about her hobbies, even before their parents.

-Riko transferred to Uranohoshi in her second year, no change there.

 **-Hanamaru and Yoshiko still went to the same kindergarten** , although now there's a one year gap between them.

-Hanamaru's first meeting with Ruby is the same like in the anime.

-Because of her sister's friendships, **Ruby has met Kanan, Mari, Chika, and Yoshiko before high school started.**

And that's it! That's a lot, and we're not even at the first chapter yet. With most backstories being changed slightly, this means that we'll only very loosely tie-in with the anime. Some episodes, if we try to adapt them, won't change much (Hanamaru's episode, for example), but some won't make much sense unless we make massive changes (Yoshiko's episode, KanaMariDia's episode).

Once I write a few chapters here, I _definitely_ want to write actual prologue chapters involving the things I've listed. Chika's first meetings with Dia and Yoshiko, Mari leaving Uchiura but this time with less angst (or maybe more), Riko's time at Otonokizaka, childhood YouChiKanan, etc.

Also, because of the way Japan's school system works, that means **Mari is the oldest, born on June 13.** **The year after,** **Kanan was born on February 10, Yoshiko was born on July 13, Chika was born on August 1, and Riko was born on September 19.** **The year after that, Dia was born on January 1, You was born on April 17, and Ruby was born on September 21. Hanamaru is the youngest, being born the year after on March 4.**

This is fine, except for one problem. **There are only 8 months and 20 days between Dia and Ruby's birth dates.** I'm not quite sure how to fix this. Assuming that they're blood-siblings, I can either say that Ruby was born prematurely, or that she was born in the same year as Hanamaru, and was moved up a grade at some point. I'm going to go with the second one, because if I decided for the first one, it would mean that Dia would still only be a few days old when their mother got pregnant with Ruby.

So with the updated birth dates, **Ruby is the youngest person in Aqours, born on September 21 and on the same year as Hanamaru.**

As of right now, the only ship that I've decided on is **ChikaDiaYoshi.** I wanted to write something for this particular pairing because they're the current radio hosts, similar to NicoRinPana. But they don't interact a lot in official sources, and unlike NicoRinPana where their chemistry is already somewhat canon (NicoRin are part of the idiot trio with Honoka, RinPana are childhood friends, and NicoPana are both massive idol fans), ChikaDiaYoshi is slightly harder to see (Chika and Dia are both idol fans, but they don't talk about it a lot in the anime). I feel like this AU gives the three a lot of extra history together, which is why I've decided on it as the first pairing I want to write!

Other ships I might include in the future are **KanaMari, YouRiko, and RubyMaru,** although these ones are still very tentative. There's a lot of interesting potential between all of them. KanaYou as childhood friends? MariRuby with an overprotective Dia watching them on their dates? RikoMaru because of their shared interest in books? There's a lot of room to explore here, which is why none of them are tagged. Once I've decided on which to actually write, I'll add them ASAP. **(Update 10/29: Final pairings that have been decided ate KanaMari, YouRiko, and RubyMaru.)**

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank everyone who's reached here for reading all that! This is my first time writing any sort of fanfic, and I kinda feel like I'm in way over my head, but I hope that the product, when it comes out, is enough to satisfy everyone!


	2. The Childhood Friend

A warm gust of spring wind breezes through the town of Numazu, carrying the scent of the nearby sea. The previous season's cold air had been completely forgotten as people begin their daily activities. Shops are opening, buses are traveling, and people are moving. The sakura trees are in full bloom, and some people take this opportunity to enjoy themselves. Whether it's by having a picnic at the park, watching the trees through a window in a homely café, or by confessing to a loved one with pink petals scattered around them, laughter and joy is in the air for Numazu and the nearby towns.

The sound of an alarm clock blares through the silence, but it was a few minutes too late. The only person inside the room is already wide awake, turning off the alarm before opening the curtains. Sunlight fills the dark room, brightening the person's mood considerably. She sees other people her age walking towards the local high school, walking and chatting with their friends. Turning around, she comes face-to-face with the reason of her excitement.

Hanging in front of her drawer, there is a simple sailor uniform. The clothing is plain white, with gray-colored cuffs. The matching skirt has the opposite color scheme, being mostly gray except for a single white line near the bottom of the fabric. And to top it all off, a simple yellow ribbon rests around the collar, completing the uniform. Smiling to herself, she checks her schedule one last time before rushing out of her bedroom.

 _Today is the day that I, You Watanabe, go full steam ahead to the future!_

Her preparations pass in a blur of energy. Before she even realizes it fully, she's finished with her bath and is putting on her new uniform. Having already seen her friend wear the ribbon herself, she knows how to put it on with ease. Rushing downstairs, she enjoys the breakfast her mother had prepared for her. Once she's done, she places the dirty plate in the sink, before running out of the house with her bag slung over her shoulder. She greets the people she meets on her journey, her smile never wavering as she gets on a bus heading towards Uchiura.

You struggles to stay still, buzzing with excitement as she watches the passing scenery. She's seen them many times before, but that doesn't stop her from staring out of the window with her optimism showing on her face. Today is the first day of the new school year, and she'll be starting in Uranohoshi. The same school that her childhood friends, Chika and Kanan, go to. To be fair, her relationship with Kanan isn't as close as it used to be, but they're definitely still good friends. And Chika has been her best friend ever since the two met, and she's confident that wouldn't change.

That doesn't stop her from feeling bad about their other friend, though. Kanan has mentioned being lonely a few times, even when Chika joined her last year in Uranohoshi. And she had stopped going to school for the last few months, if Chika was to be believed. She would be in the diving shop whenever they visited her, and she'd say that she couldn't go to school because her father got injured, but that still doesn't explain the part about her being lonely. Eventually, the bus stops near an inn, and You quickly gets off. She convinces herself that thinking too much about it now wouldn't help. She'll just visit her again once she has some free time.

Looking straight ahead, You walks towards the entrance of the inn, noticing that not many people are currently occupying it.

"Pardon the intrusion…."

"Ah, You-chan, hey there."

Looking around the guest area, she notices one of Chika's sisters lounging around. The family's dog, Shiitake, is walking around her. The dog stops as You walks into the inn, barking while wagging its tail happily. You happily pats the dog, before refocusing her attention on the older Takami.

"Is Chika-cha-"

"In her room. Make sure to remind her not to be late."

Quickly nodding her head, she barely takes a few steps before Chika's sister looks at her.

"Oh, and there's already someone else in there with Chika. She's a friend from their school."

You stops dead in her tracks at those words. Her confusion and curiosity rising as she wonders who might want to visit Chika. Suddenly, she realizes the other friend they have that also goes to their school, and she can feel her curiosity turning into a mix of anger and jealousy.

 _Why is Kanan visiting Chika so early in the morning? And why wasn't I invited? And why so suddenly?_

Storming towards Chika's room with all kinds of questions on her mind, she opens the entrance before quickly realizing why she wasn't invited. Standing near the bed is her long-time childhood friend Chika Takami, doing some kind of pose that she doesn't understand. And standing slightly away from her is a girl wearing the same Uranohoshi uniform, glancing between her phone and the orange-hair standing in front of her. Unlike her first thought, however, that girl is definitely not Kanan. Her long hair, jet-black and completely straight is different compared to Kanan's ponytail. Rather than Kanan's purple eyes, the eyes of this girl are a vivid green, similar to emeralds. In fact, she's not even from the same year as Kanan, if her red ribbon is any indication.

"Oh, You-chan!"

Her attention snaps back towards the girl she actually recognizes, who is now running towards her. Already anticipating what's about to come, she doesn't even stumble when Chika leaps in for a hug.

"It's so great to see you again! We haven't seen each since you left with your dad. I can't believe you'll be going to the same school as me."

You laughs a bit as the pair finally break off the embrace, and glances at the other girl in the room. Chika's sudden movement had drawn the girl's attention to You, and she bows slightly. Nervously, You does the same, albeit awkwardly. Chika, who had been watching her friends' interaction, giggles softly.

"Come on, don't be like that! I've already told you about each other, you're not complete strangers."

The dark-haired girl straightens her body, nodding in Chika's direction before facing You again.

"Yes, although this is still our first real meeting. It's a pleasure to meet you, Watanabe-san."

Her words come out as cool, calm, and maybe slightly intimidating. You's anxiety begins to peak when she realizes that she doesn't know who the girl is. Chika had probably talked about her a few times. It wasn't her fault that her childhood friend has made so many friends in a year, that she struggled to remember all of them. However, as she focuses on the girl's features, she begins putting the pieces together. An incredibly close friend Chika made in her first year, a cool persona, and dark hair. You snaps her fingers as she remembers who the girl is.

"Ah, you're Tsushima-san, right?"

The girl's previously cool expression had turned into one of terror upon hearing those words. Chika was laughing so loudly that she was close to tears, and You can feel her face burning up in shame as she observes their reactions. Because apparently, this isn't Tsushima-san. Whoops.

"Y-You-chan…." Her friend forces out between bouts of laughter "T-this is Dia-chan. I told you about her before."

 _Oh, that's also told me about her._ You gives the girl, Dia, a small smile in an attempt to salvage her impression of You, which doesn't seem to be working out considering the glare she's giving her way.

"S-sorry. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kurosawa-san."

For what felt like a few tense hours, Dia just stares at her silently, looking for any signs that You could be joking. However, she eventually realized that the apology was sincere, and gives a small grunt of acknowledgement.

"Apology accepted, Watanabe-san."

Chika, after having recovered most of her composure, grins brightly before pulling both girls in for a hug "Don't be so stiff with each other! Dia-chan, you're fine with just Dia, right? You, you too right?" She asks, waiting for confirmation. You nods her head dumbly, not quite used to calling an upperclassman with only their first name unless it's Chika or Kanan, but she can manage. Dia also nods her head, and Chika's "Great! You, just remember not to call her Yoshiko, alright?"

Her cheeks turn red again at being reminded of her slip-up, wishing that she could turn back time to stop her past self from embarrassing herself. But Dia is laughing softly and smiling, and she has to admit that it puts a smile on her face as well.

However, the happy moment is interrupted by a soft gasp from Dia, Following her gaze, You immediately pales as her eyes land on the clock in Chika's room.

"We're gonna be late!" Dia practically screams, and it achieves the desired effect. Chika gets two bags and hands one of them to Dia, and the trio run out of the inn, attracting the attention of Chika's sister. They barely pay attention to her words as they see the bus leaving from the stop, and they run towards it while begging for the driver to stop.

 _What a way to start your first day._

* * *

"I've made a mistake. I've made a huge mistake. What kind of upperclassman am I? What kind of role model am I for Ruby?"

You lets out a small sigh as she hears Dia continuing to mutter things under her breath. They had been fortunate enough to be seen by the driver, and it's not like anyone cared much that the three students got on the bus despite being _slightly_ late. And since they were currently on the bus, that meant they weren't going to be late to school. In fact, they were probably going to arrive a few minutes early, so everything should fine, right?

Dead wrong. It sounded like Dia was having some kind of crisis at the thought that she wasn't going to be the first to arrive to class. Although the last part of her sentence managed to pique You's interest slightly (who's Ruby?), it wasn't enough to get rid of her slight annoyance for the dark-haired girl. Meanwhile, sitting next to her and on the opposite side of the spectrum, Chika was just happy that they managed to get on the bus. Sure, she's happy that they're going to arrive on time, but You's willing to bet that Chika wouldn't be that bothered if she actually was late.

 _How did these two become friends anyway?_ The question had appeared on her mind when Chika first told her of the new friend she made, Dia. You knew from the excited explanation Chika gave her that the two couldn't be more different, but somehow it worked out.

"-on the bus today?"

"Huh?" Realizing that she had been distracted, she quickly turns towards Chika "What did you say?"

"I said, did you see someone with our uniform on the bus today?"

Trying to recall the people she had seen on the bus, You shakes her head "No. I can't really remember everyone, but there wasn't anyone wearing our uniform sitting near me."

The statement seems to have woken up Dia from her stupor, and she lets out a sigh "…I hope Yoshiko isn't late." She grumbles. Before You can ask any questions, the bus finally stops near their school. Chika suddenly jumps out of her seat, and runs straight out of the bus. You is no stranger to seeing Chika like that during their middle school, and judging from Dia's composed expression, she's also seen her fair share. Standing up from her seat, she looks back at You "Wata-…You-san, let's go. You don't want to be late to your first day in high school."

 _I'm pretty sure we're not going to be late._ You thinks to herself. She can even see other people, both upperclassmen and freshmen outside of the gate. But considering that Dia had already panicked from almost missing the bus, she keeps that thought to herself as she follows Dia towards the school grounds. The school itself isn't too interesting, since she had seen it before. Instead, You focuses on the other people near her. She observes the other first years, hoping that she can befriend as many of them as possible. However, she occasionally glances at the girls wearing green ribbons, the third years, hoping to see the familiar face of Kanan.

Dia is also looking around at the other students, but it doesn't take her long to find what she's looking for. You almost loses the older girl as she maneuvers through the clumps of students, eventually stopping near the entrance to the large building. There, she sees Chika clinging to a girl with dark blue hair styled into a side bun. She's another second year, but she has a feeling that she'll be seeing her a lot anyways. After all, she's probably another one of Chika's friends.

"Yoshiko-chan! Were you waiting for us?" Chika asks her excitedly, while Dia just looks annoyed. You just assumes that it's the normal expression she has "You two! We'll be late, hurry up." She says, before looking back at You "We'll be going now You-san. I hope to see you soon."

"Yeah! See you soon You-chan!" Chika waves her hand excitedly while dragging Yoshiko into the school. Dia rushes after them, leaving You alone outside of the building. She feels more than a little disappointed that her last childhood friend can't be here as well, but she'll have to get over it.

Still, she feels a bit lonely right now, without any of her friends. It feels a bit like middle school, when she was left behind by Kanan and Chika while they went to Uranohoshi, but worse since she doesn't know anyone else.

 _Well, plenty of time to change that later._

You notices a girl with a green ribbon walking out of the building with a megaphone, and after a brief introduction as the student council vice-president, she asks the first-years to head towards the auditorium immediately. Once she walks back into the building, the other students begin talking among themselves again. The second and third years begin heading towards their respective classes, while the first years head towards the auditorium. You takes this chance to socialize with the others, gossiping about local rumors and sharing hobbies. The girls are nice to her, and she feels like she can get along with them, but she doesn't feel the same connection with them as she does with Chika and Kanan. That much is obvious by how she can't stop thinking about them even when neither of them are here.

 _Snap out of it! You're going to be just fine without them._

* * *

"And now, a message from out student council president."

You lets out a whimper at the words, burying her face in her hands as she waits for the formalities to end. Having sat down in the auditorium for over an hour, You can say without a doubt that she's not fine. In fact, she was close to passing out from boredom. She doesn't want to be mean, but Uranohoshi isn't really *that* interesting, at least compared to the school near her home in Numazu, and that's just the unfortunate truth. It was close to the beach, and you can see Mt. Fuji from here, but its main selling point is that its one of the only high schools in the area.

She wants to do something fun, something new and different. She wants to go on an adventure with her friends, maybe try out some new clubs and win a few more diving competitions. But when the school is a no-name in a rural area, she's not sure how many competitions they'll be invited to. She had been near obsessed to the idea of attending the same school as her childhood friends, that she barely looked at the clubs during the open house.

She can see it now. She knows *exactly* what's going to happen during these next three years. She'll join the swim team, and she'll compete occasionally, but that might be it. Next year, Kanan's going to leave her for university, and the year after Chika's going to do the same. Then she'll go to university, and there goes her last chance of having fun with her friends. It makes her want to cry. She hasn't seen Kanan in so long, and she feels like she's drifting away from Chika when they got separated last year. But Chika was able to make new friends. She has Tsushima-san and Dia, while You has no one else. She was the reliable, cool upperclassman last year with a lot of friends, and she still enjoys talking with her old classmates. But most of them were her neighbors, and it doesn't matter how close they were. They weren't going to risk their future by going to Uranohoshi, and You doesn't hold it against them.

"Good morning, new students."

However, just as she's about to go deeper into her own thoughts, a voice forces her to look up. A voice she hasn't heard in a while, and a face she hasn't seen in even longer. She feels happy and stunned at the same time. Because standing right there on the podium with a smile on her face, is her long-time friend, swimming rival, and now upperclassman, Matsuura Kanan.


	3. The Student Council President

_She's here. Kanan's here!_

You can hardly stay still in her seat, fidgeting and glancing around as she waits for the homeroom teacher to enter the class. She would usually be one of the more sociable students, but she couldn't focus today. She could never imagine that her first time seeing Kanan again would be like this. Sure, she may be overreacting, and it's not like they haven't seen each other in years, but it was still surprising for her. She half-expected Kanan to show up injured, or a depressed shell of her former self. The Kanan that showed up this morning was the same as always, the cool, mature, and charming student council president. Despite it being their first day here, a few of her classmates have already fallen for her. _Some things really haven't changed._

But other than that, You is scared. She remembers the promise she, Kanan, and Chika made many years ago, that they would meet up before the beginning of the school year and just talk. This year marks the first time that they broke the promise, and she wondered if Kanan no longer thought of them as friends.

The sound of her classmates scrambling to their seats forced You to focus, just in time to see her homeroom teacher enter. She quickly introduced herself, before asking the other students to take turns doing the same. Forcing a smile, You managed to get hers out just fine, salvaging her classmates' first impression of her. She could hardly focus for most of them though, and would have done the same for the girl sitting near the front of the class if it wasn't for what the girl had said in her introduction.

"G-good morning. I'm Kurosawa Ruby. Let's get along."

She sounded nervous. That was fine. Completely normal. She looked fairly young. That was also completely normal. In fact, that makes her kinda cute. But if her family name is anything to go by, it would mean that this girl is the sister of Kurosawa Dia. You makes sure to remember her name and face, lest she repeats the same mistake she made involving Dia.

You notices that the teacher also seems surprised. If she had to guess, it probably meant that the teacher came to the same realization. Dia seemed like the kind of person who would befriend all of the teachers just for extra marks, so she's sure that Ruby will have to deal with that later. She feels bad for her. This year's going to be tough, and her personality is going to make it even harder for her.

With the only interesting introduction out of the way, the rest of the session goes by in a blur. She introduced herself once more to the students sitting next to her, but her previous feelings still haven't changed. She doesn't feel the same connection to them as she does with Chika or Kanan, not even close. But she wants to remain optimistic. She wants to find new friends that'll stick with her after high school, after college, maybe even when they're adults. She wants to find friends that she'll love spending time with, people who won't get bored of her talking about her love of swimming or obsession of uniforms, and are willing to share secrets with her.

As You lists off in her mind what she wants in a friend, she immediately notices something unsettling. _Your standards are way too high. It's like you're looking for a girlfriend._ Which isn't true, she tells herself. Still, it's enough to make her blush. However, it's not _that_ far off. After all, it makes sense that the qualities she wants in a friend should also be present in her future girlfriend. Someone who's nice and loyal, and is willing to deal with her even when she's being annoying. Even when they're separated, You wants to be able to contact them often. She wants to speak her thoughts to them, and hear theirs in return.

But that brings in a new dilemma for You. What's the difference between a girlfriend and a friend, like Chika or Kanan? The two of them certainly fits all of her criteria, but she could never imagine dating either of them (well, _maybe_ she could). It could be because they're too much like sisters for her. She didn't have anyone other than her parents to look up to, so she considers Chika and Kanan as her sister figures, which makes sense. But if that's the case, it would imply that she would consider dating them if she had an actual sister. Does that mean Chika had considered dating her or Kanan? Or is she still thinking about it to this day?

 _I'm getting distracted! That's not important right now_. After all, it doesn't concern her whether or not they have a crush on someone. They have their own personal lives, just like she has her own life outside of them. If only she wasn't so dependent on them...

* * *

You stands up from her seat once she hears the school bell ringing, almost forgetting to take her lunch before running towards the third year classrooms. She would usually take this time to have lunch with Chika, but she needs to talk to Kanan first.

Finding her is the easy part. Kanan had just left her class when You approached her. "Kanan-chan," You says, drawing the taller girl's attention. "Sorry, I just want to talk to you. Do you want to have lunch together?"

Kanan seems confused for a second, but then she smiles and nods. "Sure. Let's head towards the student council room. I left my lunch there." Kanan begins to walk, motioning for You to follow her. She's still carefree, just like the Kanan she knew and loved (not in that way, she reminds herself), but she can't shake off the feeling that something is off.

As they walk together in the hallway, You can hear the other students whispering to each other and pointing, although it's nothing new for either of them. Rumors have spread about her and Kanan before, as well as ones about her and Chika, Chika and Kanan, and sometimes all of them together. Chika might be a bit too dense to care about that, while Kanan never paid much attention to gossip in the first place. You believes that if the rumors turn malicious, however, Kanan would put a stop to it instantly. She doesn't want anyone getting hurt, especially no one close to her, so her approach is 'better safe than sorry'.

Although maybe she's being paranoid, and the students aren't even trying to spread rumors about her. Maybe all that time she spent thinking about love in class threw her for a loop. She'll ask Kanan about it later, just so she can sate her curiosity.

"We're here," Kanan says, stopping in front of the student council room. Sliding the door open to let them both in, You can't see many things of interest. There is a table near the back of the room, with a small stack of documents, a box for students to put in their suggestions, but also a microphone to make important announcements. There are a lot of lockers lining the walls, which she doubts are all filled. Kanan takes out a pair of keys from her pocket, using it to unlock one of the lockers and pulling out a lunchbox.

She sits down on a chair behind the table, before motioning towards the one across from her. "Go ahead and sit there." Kanan opens her lunchbox and takes a pair of chopsticks from the table, beginning to eat. Taking the offered seat, You decides to ask the first question on her mind.

"Is…everything fine?" You asks suddenly, causing Kanan to almost choke on her food. The question sounded far too serious, and Kanan just nods her head.

"I'm great. Why wouldn't I be fine?" She asks in return, while You lets out a small sigh of relief.

"You kinda went missing for a while. I miss you a lot, and Chika does too. We thought something bad happened to you."

At the explanation, Kanan chuckles softly. Leaning forward, she pats the younger girl on the head. "Nothing bad happened to me. My dad got hurt while doing his job, and everything's been busy since my parents are trying to expand our diving shop to other areas, but everything is going peachy. You shouldn't be worried about me."

Kanan stops, before deciding to shift the topic of the conversation. "And what about you? How's Uranohoshi? I wouldn't be doing my job right if you're uncomfortable here."

You answers the questions cheerfully, telling stories about everything she did with Chika while Kanan wasn't there. She laughs during a particularly funny one where Chika almost jumped into a pool with her uniform on, and for a moment You feels like everything is completely normal. Kanan reminds her to keep eating so they won't be late to class, but they have a long break today, so there's more than enough time to finish while talking. They finish all their with over half-an-hour of time remaining.

You considers today's goal of catching up with Kanan to be a resounding success. But there's still one last thing she wants to know about the blue-haired diver.

"Kanan-chan. Do you have a crush on someone?" This time, Kanan's lucky that she doesn't have any food in her mouth, or else she would actually choke from hearing that question. Her face goes through several expressions in a few seconds before finally settling on embarrassed.

"W-why would you think that? Did someone tell you?" Her surprised reaction was unexpected to You, who thought that she would just laugh it off and reply with a simple 'no'.

"So there _is_ someone?" You asks again, beginning to grin. It's rare to see Kanan like this, and she doesn't want to waste the opportunity to tease her. She's been the victim of Kanan's teasing for a long while, so it feels satisfying to be able to turn the tables on her in a big way.

Disappointingly, Kanan stays silent for a while, wondering if there's a way to dodge the question entirely, before giving up. After all, better You than Chika. "Y-yeah, I guess I do." She answers, looking away. "And before you ask, no, you probably don't know her. She's a childhood friend, but we haven't seen each other for a really long time. I…miss her, I really do." She sighs, and You feels pity for the older girl. She can only imagine what it's like. She can't bear the idea of being separated from either Chika or Kanan for a long time, and she's not even romantically attached to them. Kanan must feel pretty heartbroken.

But in an instant the expression vanishes, and Kanan smiles as she stands up and places her empty lunchbox back into the locker. "Well, there's no use thinking about it. I'll move on eventually," She says, before returning her gaze to You, with _that_ look on her face. The look that says 'I'm going to reveal all of your secrets and announce them on the school intercom'.

"Why are you asking me this? Is my little You-chan crushing on someone?" She begins moving towards You, which is slightly intimidating. "You have to tell me who it is. Is it Chika-chan? Or…is it me?" Kanan seems almost embarrassed at the thought, but she shrugs it off so she can keep teasing You.

"As expected from our You-chan. Someone with a true _senpai complex!_ " You flushes bright red at the accusation.

"I-I don't have a complex! I really don't!" She exclaims loudly. Kanan, seeing a glorious opportunity being presented, closes the distance between them. Before she's even aware of it, You hears a loud _thud_ right beside her head, and Kanan's face dangerously close to hers.

"Are you into _kabedon_ at least?" Kanan asks jokingly, but she has a teasing grin on her face, one that makes her heart beat faster. "Oh, you're blushing. Are you actually into this?"

You, still red in the face after the incident, pushes Kanan away "It's embarrassing. Anyone would be embarrassed if you did that to them." She answers, pouting at Kanan. She only laughs before patting You on the head again.

"It's no big deal. Besides, you're not my type, so even if you did have a crush on me…well, I'd have to turn you down."

Looking for some kind of revenge, You decides to take this last chance to get an idea of who Kanan might have a crush on. "Ouch, rejected by the student council president. Well, who's your type then?"

"Nice try, You." _Damn._ She didn't fall for it. "Besides, I told you that you probably don't know her, so there's no point in telling you."

Opening the door to the room, Kanan lets You out before exiting as well, closing the door behind her. "Now hurry up and get back to class. We still have break, but if I catch you running around during class I'll have to send you to detention. Got that?"

" _Yousoro_ , Kanan-chan!"


	4. The Kurosawas

**I have no excuse for posting this so late. I'm very sorry for the delay! I'll be posting another chapter in a few days, along with the first side-chapter. After that, this will be up to date along with my other two platforms, so please be patient until then!**

* * *

As You returns to her classroom, she sees Ruby having lunch, accompanied by another girl with long, brown hair. They're practically sharing a single seat thanks to how close they're sitting, but neither seem to mind. They're laughing and smiling so brightly in a way that reminds her of her younger years, which doesn't make sense since she's the same age as them. Maybe it's the way they talk with such intensity that it's hard for You to keep up but the other can understand completely, or how they show their emotions so blatantly without hiding anything, but they remind her of her younger self.

When she notices Ruby's friend shooting a dirty look her way, You realizes that she had been staring at them for a while, which is really creepy even for her. Deciding that talking would make her come off as less of a creep, she heads towards their desk. Her steps almost echo in the silent classroom, which startles poor Ruby even more.

"Hello! I'm Watanabe You! Let's get along!" She says excitedly, giving a salute and looking at the two girls in front of her. Ruby is even more scared now, and her friend seems annoyed that You interrupted their conversation. At least they're polite enough to return the introduction.

"Kurosawa…Ruby. Pleased to meet you."

"Kunikida Hanamaru. I hope we can get along."

As they introduce themselves to her, she notices Hanamaru almost biting her tongue at the end of her statement. Asking about it would be rude, however, and it seems that her presence isn't very welcome if Hanamaru's glare is any indication. Because of that, she just smiles at them before returning to her seat. Completely alone.

You lets out a desperate sigh. It looks like getting close to Ruby is going to be even harder than doing the same to her sister. At least her friendship with Chika makes it easier for her and Dia to have something to talk about. On the other hand, Hanamaru doesn't seem very fond of You, so trying to have a conversation with Ruby while she's there is going to make things very awkward.

Pulling out her phone, she sees an unread message from Chika, and hastily opens it.

' _You-chan! Meet me under the big sakura tree ASAP.'_

The message was from twenty minutes ago. She forgot that she had left her phone on silent when class started. Cursing her bad luck, she quickly leaves the class while trying to stay away from Hanamaru's line of sight.

The moment You rounds the corner and sees the massive tree in the middle of the schoolyard, she stops to take in the view. Sakura trees have been in full bloom all day, but this one seems even more amazing than the ones she saw on her way to Chika's place and to school combined. The falling petals slowly drift towards the ground before being swept up by the wind. It's a sight that she doesn't see often, so she wants to enjoy it for a moment, taking as many mental photographs as needed. _Actually…._

You takes out her phone before snapping a few pictures. This might serve as good inspiration for her drawings. She can see Chika with two other students having lunch under the tree, and after taking a photo of the surrounding area, You walks towards them.

Once closer, she sees that the students having lunch with Chika are Dia, as well as the person they met earlier this morning. Yoshiko, if she remembers correctly. As if detecting her presence, Chika turns towards You, and seems happy that her intuition is correct. "You-chan! There you are. We were waiting for you." Chika pats the area beside her, an invitation to sit.

You accepts, taking her place on the grass to the right of Chika. "Sorry. I forgot to check my phone once class was over. I was busy," You says, although Chika quickly brushes off the apology.

"It's fine, no worries. What were you doing though? I thought you only had classes today?" Chika asks while beginning to peel a mikan. The others are just as confused as she is.

"Well, I had lunch with Kanan-chan."

Hearing this, Dia seems to be even more confused "You're talking about the student council president, right? You know her?"

Chika nods. "Yep! We've known her for a really long time. We've been friends ever since we were in diapers, and we're never going to be separated."

Dia doesn't say anything, although with the way she looks away from Chika it seems like she doesn't want to talk about the subject any longer. Sensing the slightly glum mood of her friend, Yoshiko lets out a deep chuckle, which You thinks is weird.

"Well then Chika, I hope that your friendship with Kanan-san remains strong. All I request is that you do not forget that you have additional responsibilities. You are, after all, the first of my little demons, and you must show your devotion by recruiting more people for my legion!" The girl does her spiel so effortlessly that You feels like it wasn't the first time she had done it. It was charming, however, and a quick look in Dia's direction confirms that she thinks the same. She's paying full attention to Yoshiko, and although she looks like she's trying to hold back laughter, she also seems happy.

"Yoshiko-chan, please don't embarrass yourself in front of our juniors. You're supposed to be their role model." Dia says between small chuckles. Yoshiko doesn't consider it as amusing.

"What are you talking about? I'm an amazing role model for younger students."

Dia doesn't even miss a beat, having already thought of the perfect counter to whatever Yoshiko would say. "I bet you would sacrifice me and Chika for one of your rituals if you were convinced that you would be able to summon something."

"Oh yeah? You would sacrifice us if it meant adding more merch to your idol collection."

"No I wouldn't!" Dia exclaims, losing her composure as she stares at Yoshiko with wide eyes. "That's slander! I would never do something like that."

"You would," Chika says while chewing on a small piece of mikan. "Especially if it's µ's merch. _Especially_ if it's Eli merch. Just be honest already."

"You would do the same…." Dia mumbles softly, although she's promptly ignored by the others. Yoshiko tries to listen, but she's not as invested in idols as her or Chika. On the other hand, Chika is currently busy feeding herself with the mikans she has in her lunchbox.

"You-chan, say aah!"

…and now she's feeding You as well. It's as if Chika didn't have a massive pile of mikans that she could offer to You, and they were forced to share one. You doesn't even question, happily accepting the offered piece of fruit.

This only serves to piss off Dia even more. She quickly takes her empty lunchbox before standing up "Idiots. I'm leaving. See you two in class later." Without waiting for a response, she turns around and heads towards the main building.

Yoshiko looks annoyed as she watches Dia walking away. "Aww man, here she goes being pouty again. Come on Chika, let's try to cheer her up." She stands up before heading towards Dia's direction. Chika also stands up, but before leaving she faces You.

"Hey, You-chan, can you invite Kanan-chan here after school? I want everyone to spend some time together. I'll bring some snacks later, don't worry!"

"Huh? Would she even-" Before she was able to properly respond, Chika had already left, leaving her alone with an unpeeled mikan beside her. "…never mind."

Throwing away the leftover mikan peel on her way to class, You walks in to see that there are more people this time, and Ruby and Hanamaru seem to be distracted by something on one of their phones. She walks past them, but she once again stares, as the pair giggle and talk about whatever it is they're seeing. When she's not glaring at her, You had to admit that Hanamaru was kinda cute too. Maybe she's biased because she thinks that _every_ girl is cute, but she actually thinks that. Of course, that thought is accompanied by feelings of worry and panic as she wonders if she's developing a crush on a girl she barely knows and doesn't even seem to like her. Then, the feeling doubles as she wonders if she's actually crushing on _Ruby_ , and the reason she doesn't like Hanamaru is that she's jealous of them being so close.

 _Dia would kill me._

Once class is over, You is going to look for whoever runs the swimming club, and she's going to ask to join. If that's enough to make her stop thinking about all these things related to love, then she'll spend as many hours jumping off diving boards as she's allowed.

Moving towards her own desk so no one would think of her as weird, she sends a quick text to Kanan, asking if she's free after school. Kanan answers seconds later with a simple 'yes', and You invites her to hang out with Chika later. Kanan sends another reply, accepting the offer but saying she might be a bit late. She relays the info to Chika, who replies enthusiastically and with at least half a dozen exclamation marks. The text makes her laugh a bit, imagining Chika bouncing in her seat and annoying the students sitting next to her.

The bell brings her attention back to class, and she makes sure that her phone is on silent mode before putting it in her pocket. The teacher enters the room a few minutes later, and You tries not to yell out in frustration when she notices what books she's carrying. _Math books._

It hasn't even been a day yet, and You already wishes that she could do anything but study. The math isn't anything she hasn't seen before, just slightly more complicated versions of what she learned last year.

You barely passed last year. She knows that she'll have to be really lucky to get by this year. Maybe she'll ask someone to tutor her. Definitely not Chika, and Kanan might be too busy helping out her family's shop. Maybe she can get Dia? She seems like someone who has good grades. She doesn't know much about Yoshiko, but it sounds like she goofs off a lot, just like Chika.

"Let's see, multiply the date with four…can Kurosawa-san please solve this question for us?"

You watches as Ruby slowly stands up from her seat, taking the marker from the teacher and beginning to solve the equation. She realizes around hallway through that she had somehow messed up the numbers or used the wrong formula, forcing her to erase most of it and start again, but she still manages to finish it before You and the majority of the class. The teacher nods in satisfaction before taking the marker from Ruby.

"Not bad. Keep up the good work and you'll be as good as your sister."

 _Ouch._ The girl just returns to her desk, staring at the floor as the teacher resumes the lesson. You doesn't know how it feels to be compared to someone else, but it's obvious that Ruby is taking it pretty badly. From her position, she can see Hanamaru trying to sneakily pass a slip of paper to Ruby, an attempt to cheer her up. You kinda wants to cheer her up as well, but she can't really do anything. It's not like she knows her hobbies or anything….

Then it hits her, like Chika slamming into her after an exhausting practice session. She may not know Ruby, but she does know Dia. She can get closer to Ruby through her, and once Hanamaru sees that You is trustworthy, they'll all be friends. They can have ice cream together, or go to karaoke together, or they might even come to her competitions, and she'll be there for them too when they have anything important. It's a foolproof plan, which gives her hope for the rest of the school year again.

You spent the rest of class with her mind in the clouds, already setting high hopes for herself. Things were finally going to be _different!_ She's finally going to branch out beyond Chika and Kanan, and she'll prove that she doesn't depend on them so much. Never mind that her plan to make friends on her own happened to rely on someone who was a branch from Chika, or that she's still thinking about them when they're probably too busy studying in class (or probably dozing off in Chika's case), she was finally growing up!

By the time the bell rings to mark the end of the school day, You had already packed her stuff into her bag before getting out of class. She checks her phone this time, and sure enough, there's a text from Chika waiting for her, telling her to meet up with them underneath the sakura tree from before. She forwards it to Kanan before heading there herself. This time, there are more people around, but everything else is mostly the same, including the blossoming sakura tree and the trio of girls sitting under it. All of them are taking food out of a lunchbox in the middle, filled with all kinds of small food like cupcakes, shrimp, and of course, a lot of mikan slices which Chika could finish by herself if she was allowed to.

You sits down, and Dia gives her a brief nod of acknowledgement before taking another shrimp and gulping it down. With Chika and Yoshiko talking about something else, You decides that this is the perfect chance to have a talk with the dark-haired girl.

"So, Dia," She says, smiling as Dia turns to face her. "How were your grades last year?"

Dia was silent for a moment, stunned by the bizarre and uncharacteristic question, but answers. "They were…good. Why? Is there a problem?"

"I was wondering if you were willing to tutor me for a bit? At least in math? I'm not really good at it, so I was hoping that someone could tutor me." Dia seems to consider the request for a bit, before giving a small smile of her own.

"Well…who am I to refuse such a request? You can either study at the same time with Chika and Yoshiko, or we can find a different time. I'd be glad to help with any other subjects too." Dia says eagerly, excited at the idea that someone other than her actually cares about their marks. You doesn't, but she doesn't really want to ruin Dia's parade, not when she looks so happy. "Oh, but my sister and her friend might be hanging out in the house when we're studying. Do you mind that?"

"Of course not!" You answers, "Your sister is Ruby, right? She's in my class, I'd love to be friends with her!"

"Really?" Dia looks even happier now, a surprising feat coming from her. "I hope you can do it. Ruby has always been younger than everyone else in her grade, so her only real friend is Hanamaru…it's not like she was being bullied or anything, but she did feel lonely when in school. I would be grateful if you could get her to open up to you. Oh, Hanamaru is the girl with long brown hair, I'm sure you've seen her as well. They're inseparable, so I almost feel like Hanamaru is also my sister."

You, despite not being a good listener, is quiet as she watches Dia. The older girl is usually calm, and trying to read her emotions is like trying to read a blank rock. But this Dia, who's gushing about her sister so loudly that it's disturbing everyone within earshot, is like a different person entirely. A person who knows her feelings well, and wants to shout it out at the top of her lungs for the entire world to hear. In this case, it's clear that she regards her sister very highly.

"You-chan, Chika-chan!"

The sound of another person manages to stop Dia from talking about her sister for another hour, and the group turns to face the source of the sound. There, strolling towards them with her bag slung over her shoulders, is Kanan, who's surprised when she sees there are more people than just the two she expected. Beside her, Dia visibly tenses up as she locks eyes with the president, which makes You curious.

"Kanan-chan!" Chika motions her over, letting her sit as well before offering the snacks. Kanan takes a small piece of mikan before glancing at Dia. "So...I didn't expect to see you here. What brings you here, Dia?"

Dia just shrugs, looking at Chika "We have mutual friends it seems. I didn't expect to see you either."

You is confused. Yoshiko is even more confused. But Chika is ecstatic. "Oh, you two know each other? How come I've never heard either of you talk about each other?"

Kanan lets out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of her neck as she tries to explain. "We were friends a really long time ago, but we kinda…drifted away a few years ago. Plus, I thought Dia could never get along with Chika or You, so it…slipped my mind?"

"No way! Well, a few years can make a lot of difference. There's a lot of time for you two to reconnect!" Chika says, optimistic as ever. "Oh, Kanan. This is Yoshiko, you haven't met her. Yoshiko, this is-"

You ignores almost the rest of the conversation, her eyes wide as she takes in all the new information. Kanan and Dia being friends in the past wasn't exactly groundbreaking. In fact, since there are only a few schools here, it would only make sense that they would reunite.

No, that wasn't what made You have a sudden realization. She remembers her earlier conversation with Kanan in the student council room. About her crush. Someone who's a childhood friend. Someone who she hasn't seen in a while. Someone who, according to Kanan, she probably doesn't know.

And slowly, she glances at Kanan again. The way she seemed a bit more rigid and awkward when she came here. All of it leads her to a single conclusion.

Matsuura Kanan, the student council president, has a crush on Kurosawa Dia.


	5. The Fallen Angel

After a few hours of chatting, the group of friends decide to part for the day. The day was like a whirlwind of new information, and she can't wait to just head home and enjoy a long shower. But she remembers that she still has something to do before she goes home. Walking towards Kanan, she clears her throat to get the girl's attention. "Kanan-chan, you're the president of the swimming club, right?"

Kanan, having an idea of why You is asking this question, smiles and shakes her head. "Not really, I'm too busy with the student council to be the president of any club. But if you're interested, I can tell the president. I'm sure she'd be glad to have you in. You've made a pretty big name for yourself, y'know?"

You waves off the compliment. She hadn't really done anything special other than joining a bunch of tournaments during middle school. She does have a wide collection of trophies and medals now, but with that many chances a lot of people could do the same. "Thanks. I can fill out the form tomorrow if you have any free time."

"Just come to the student council room during break or after school. You can ask any questions about the club while you're at it."

You quickly thanks Kanan, waving as she leaves the schoolyard, ready to head home. The sun is barely visible behind the school building, and only a few people are still around. You begins to walk towards the bus stop, but feels something odd, causing a shiver to run down her spine. She can hear footsteps echoing behind her, and with the sun shining behind her, she can see someone else's shadow. It doesn't look like they're very far from her.

Someone might be following her. She makes a right turn, but the sound of footsteps don't disappear.

You isn't exactly _worried_ , per say. She can defend herself very well, and if she has to she can toss someone before running in the opposite direction. But still, she can't help but be curious. Trying to be subtle, she looks over her shoulder, observing the person tailing her.

She immediately recognizes the person. "Yoshiko-senpai?" Standing behind her, eyes practically glued to the phone in her hands, is Chika's other close friend, who looks up at hearing her name. The glare she's giving You is enough to make the first year flinch.

"Yohane."

"Excuse me?"

Yoshiko just sighs before looking back at her phone, although she now has a visible frown on her face. "Forget about that. Chika told me that you live in Numazu too. I'm surprised we never met each other before."

"Y-yeah." You answers, continuing to walk towards the bus stop. She wonders if she should try to talk with Yoshiko. It would only be polite, and it's not that they didn't have anything to talk about. They could share experiences of the local festivals, recommend nearby cafes to each other, or talk about how tiring it is to have to commute back-and-forth between Numazu and Uchiura, and that's not even mentioning how _expensive_ it is!

But instead of that, You opens her mouth to ask a question instead. "Yoshiko-senpai? How did you become friends with Dia-chan? You two don't seem like the type who would get along very well, no offense."

Yoshiko laughs dryly, picking up the pace to walk side-by-side with You before answering. "That's a pretty long story…I'll spare you most of the details, since you don't seem like you'd be interested. Just know that Chika was really involved with us, and that's kinda what happened."

Arriving at the bus stop, Yoshiko sits down on one of the many empty seats. "Back then, the three of us were kinda like two pairs. Like, I was friends with Chika, and Dia was friends with her too, so we hung out a lot. But we weren't really _friends_ , get it?" Seeing that You is nodding, she continues. "But…things can change a lot in a year. We changed a bit, and now I think we're all pretty close. Oh, there's our bus."

Despite now knowing more about the history of the second year trio, You isn't very pleased with the answer. One would think that if she is the one who asked to know about it, then the details would be the most important part. Apparently Yoshiko doesn't agree.

Letting people exit the bus before going in, You sees that most of the seats are occupied. Without much choice, they take the only empty seats remaining, which are at the very back.

You, who's very used to quiet bus rides back home without Chika, would've been content with spending the rest of the ride in silence. But just as she closes her eyes in an attempt to fit in a quick nap….

"Oh, You-chan, did you know that Friday is club day? Isn't that great? We get to skip an entire day of studying! Oh, did you pick-"

…the peace was interrupted by the girl beside her. You tries to look on the bright side of it. If she had fallen asleep, there was a chance that she would miss her stop. Then she might end up in another town. Except she knows that wouldn't happen, since she had fallen asleep a few times in the past, and the driver would always be kind enough to wake her up when they arrive in Numazu.

But there was a positive to Yoshiko's random outburst. You actually didn't know that there would be a club day. She didn't even know that there would be enough clubs to hold one. Although that makes her even more curious about the older girl.

"By the way, what club are you in?"

"The Supernatural Activity Club! You should definitely try it out."

That was entirely her fault. You should've known better than to ask such an obvious question. If what happened during lunch was any indication, she would fit right in.

"Oh, how many members are there?"

"Well, there's only me right now. There were a lot more last year, but everyone else graduated already." Yoshiko seems a bit sadder as she answers, but it's not long before she cheers up, grinning like a madwoman. When she speaks again, her voice is deeper and more intimidating, which does nothing but lure attention towards them "But don't worry about that. I will make sure we have more members this year. I'm planning on asking my two little demons. If you'd like, I can even make you my Little Demon Number Three. How does that sound?"

"Uh…I appreciate it, but I'm already in the swim club. If I join too many clubs, my grades are gonna slip again."

"Oh…you're right," Yoshiko mutters, leaning back against the seat with a blank look. "My mom's going to kill me if that happens. Then Dia is going to kill me too…. Oh, Chika is going to be even more dead than me." She looks towards You, and for a moment You can see a hopeful look in her eyes. "You wouldn't happen to be an expert on trigonometry, would you?"

"I wouldn't call myself that…." You answers nervously.

"Plant cells?" A shrug from You. "Hydrocarbons?"

"What even is that?"

Yoshiko lets out a loud wail. She seems close to tears at this point. "It looks like I'm going to have to do it. I'm going to have to ask Dia for help…."

You wants to laugh at her reaction. She is overreacting, right? "If it makes you feel better, I also asked Dia to help me. We can do it together."

"You _asked_ her for help?" Yoshiko suddenly sits up straighter, staring at You with disbelief. "You don't just ask her to help you out! Do you have any idea what she's like? She's practically torturing me and Chika, and we aren't exactly volunteering."

"You're overreacting." You simply states. Although it's a bit ridiculous to assume that she knows more about Dia than her actual classmate, she can't see it any other way. It's more likely that Yoshiko just doesn't like studying.

Of course, that's not to say that You is any better, but she's trying to get better. And that's the whole point of asking Dia for help anyway. Other than wanting to befriend Ruby.

Alright, so maybe she didn't really want to volunteer. And maybe Yoshiko is scaring her a bit. But she's going to make the most out of it.

Yoshiko quiets down after a bit. If she's grieving for her grades, at least she's already in acceptance.

The bus finally arrives at their destination, and You couldn't be happier. It didn't take long for her and Yoshiko to run out of things to talk about. After that, Yoshiko looked like she wanted to say something, before having second thoughts. However, as they get off at the stop, Yoshiko turns around to face her.

"You, can I ask a question?" She asks, sounding serious. It's not like her usual voice, or her 'dramatic' voice. It sounded like Yoshiko actually being serious for once.

Hearing no objections, Yoshiko asks, "Why do you call me senpai?"

"Huh?" You is completely stumped. Is she not supposed to call her that?

"You know! You call Chika 'Chika-chan', and Dia 'Dia-chan'. You even call Kanan 'Kanan-chan'. But you call me 'Yoshiko-senpai'. Why is that?" Yoshiko seems genuinely offended.

"Do you not want me to call you that? I just call Dia-chan that since she allowed me to."

"Well, me too! From now on, you're not allowed to call me senpai." You doesn't really get it, but it seems like it would make Yoshiko happy, so she gives it a try.

"Alright then…Yoshiko-san."

Yoshiko immediately grimaces at the sound. "You sound like Dia…can't you just call me 'Yoshiko', or 'Yoshiko-chan', or something normal like that? I don't want to act like your upperclassman…"

 _But you are my upperclassman._ You doesn't feel like being bothered much more, so she just smiles. "Yoshiko-chan. Is that fine?"

Yoshiko seems happy at least. Just as they begin to walk away, You stops dead in her tracks, realization dawning on her. _This is going to happen every day_.

Never once did You ask for a completely normal school life, but she wished for a small amount of normalcy, just to keep her stable. Right now, Dia is the only one who fits that role, and she silently thanks her for being able to keep both Yoshiko and Chika under control. But it's almost like Chika had calmed down recently. Usually, it would take both her and Kanan to keep her in check, but she's nowhere near as wild with Dia around.

You shakes herself out of her thoughts. She must be overthinking things again. Nothing a warm bath and a cup of tea can't fix. Entering her house with her spare key, You steps inside.

"I'm hooome." No answer. Placing her shoes near the entrance, You heads towards the kitchen, readying some tea and dinner for herself. She takes out her phone and does a double-take when she sees all of the notification she has. With a few taps, she sees the main cause of it. A new LINE group with her, Kanan, and the three second-years. Within the short time of its existence, a few hundred messages, mostly from Dia and Chika, had been sent. Kanan and Yoshiko aren't online, however, so she decides to do the same. Let Chika and Dia talk things out between them, it probably doesn't concern her anyway.

Turning off her phone, You continues the rest of her chores. Her parents return a little after You begins to eat. You tells them all about her first day of school, her meeting with Kanan, and her new classmates. She takes a nice hot bath before heading to her room, with her uniform and bag also ready for the next day. She's blissfully unaware of whatever is going on in the chat group right now, not knowing just how much her life is going to change because of it.

You wakes up the next morning with the same excitement she felt yesterday. Despite the novelty of the uniform wearing off slightly, there are still so many things to do. She admits that she might be wrong about Uranohoshi. Sure, it's a bit dull and old-fashioned, but the school has a lot to offer, and she feels a genuine friendship with almost all of her classmates. And isn't that the main reason people go to school anyway?

Putting on her uniform, she grabs her phone from the nightstand. The first thing she notices is a message from Chika, sent after midnight. You wonders what's so important that Chika couldn't wait until the morning to send it.

' _check the group'_

 _No way_. You scrolls down until she finds last night's group, only to freeze when she sees the number of unread messages. _999+ messages. Did she spend the entire night chatting?_

Without bothering to read any of it, she marks all of them as read. She'll just ask Chika about it later when she stops by at her family's inn, or Yoshiko if she sees her at the bus stop. She checks the rest of her notifications. A LINE group for her class, their homeroom teacher informing them of their schedule for the next week, and a message from Dia also asking her to check their group. She'll pretend she didn't see that one.

Putting her phone in her pocket, she heads downstairs to greet her parents and have breakfast. There isn't much for her to talk about, but they manage to fill the silence with light discussions and questions. She remembers that Chika hasn't been to her house in a while, and decides to invite her over once they have time.

Once breakfast is finished and the empty plates are in the sink, You makes her way to the bus stop. Unlike yesterday, Yoshiko is waiting for her there, staring at her phone with a passive expression.

You calls out to her, causing Yoshiko to look up. "Yoshiko-chan! What are you doing?"

Yoshiko seems stressed somehow. Rather than answering, she just shows You the content on her phone. It seems to be an exchange between Chika and Dia, and as Yoshiko scrolls up even more messages are shown. It takes a few more seconds before realization finally hits. "Is this the group chat?" You can't believe that someone would actually bother to go through everything.

"Yeah, Chika and Dia were spamming the chat all night long, so I got curious and read everything."

You wants to ask why she thought that was a good idea, but that feeling was overwhelmed by curiosity. "What were they talking about?"

"Idols."

" _Idols?_ " Did they really spend the entire night chatting about idols?

"School idols, to be exact."

You can feel the responsible, normal Dia she thought was true disappear from her mind. She now fully understands why Dia is able to keep Chika under control. _It's because they're both crazy for idols._

The bus finally arrives, and they take their seats near the back. With nothing else to talk about, Yoshiko begins to play a game on her phone. Not wanting to disturb her, You tries to take a short nap. She just hopes that everything will be back to normal once they arrive at Chika's.


	6. The Transfer Student

"What do you mean Chika-chan's not here?"

Standing in front of Yoshiko and You, Takami Mito can only sigh. Her patience is wearing thin.

"That's exactly what I mean, You-chan. Chika's not here. She already left for school."

"What do you mean she already left for school?"

"Did she leave with Dia?" Yoshiko asks instead, to which Mito nods.

"Yeah, the girl from yesterday with black hair. She came here early in the morning to talk with Chika, and then they went to school together. That was around an hour ago."

"Oh. Then, I guess we'll see her in school. Come on, let's wait for the next bus." Yoshiko begins to head towards the bus stop.

"Right." You bows slightly towards the older girl. "Then, we'll be heading off. Say hello to Shima-chan for me."

Mito waves, smiling. "Yeah, yeah, see you later. Make sure Chika doesn't get into trouble."

"We will!" You turns around, following Yoshiko towards the bus stop. She waits until they were out of earshot to begin talking.

"That's a shame, isn't it?" She asks, and once she has Yoshiko's attention, she continues. "I wanted to go to school with Chika."

"You're not the only one." Yoshiko answers. "And since she already left, I'm guessing Dia agrees with us. Seriously, what's she thinking?"

Arriving at the nearby stop, You gives her a curious look. "That reminds me. Yesterday, you went to school before Dia and Chika. Is there a reason for that?"

Yoshiko shakes her head. "Nope. I just felt like being early for once. Plus, it'll make me look more reliable to new students."

"I see…." You trails off. She remains silent for a few seconds, before adding. "…but you know, Dia-chan was really concerned yesterday."

Yoshiko perks up at those words, facing you. "Really?" She sounds somewhat suspicious, but You can almost detect something else. Hope? "Did she say that? That she was concerned?"

"Not exactly. But she asked me if I saw someone with our uniform, and she hoped that you weren't late."

"Just the usual then." Yoshiko scoffs, turning away from You and choosing to stare at the road, hoping for the bus to appear. "That's Dia. Always making sure I'm not late, always making sure I'm not in trouble…can't say I expected anything different." Noticing Yoshiko's somewhat somber tone, You tries to lighten the mood.

"I guess that's true…but she's still really nice, right? And even though she doesn't do it often, she's cute when she smiles! Don't you agree?" Yoshiko laughs at her words, a light giggle rather than the deep chuckle attached to Yohane.

"Yeah, but I wish she did it more often…." She mutters to herself. Finally, they see a bus approaching, and Yoshiko stands up. "Come on. I want to see what they're doing in school so early." They board the bus, once again taking the seats near the back. As You watches Yoshiko dozing off, she smiles. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad having this as a daily occurrence.

The moment they arrive at Uranohoshi, with Yoshiko beginning to wake up from her nap, they can see a commotion happening on the grounds. Even as far as it is, and with people blocking their sight from the center, You can see a patch of orange hair peeking out above the rest.

" _No way._ " She can hear Yoshiko say from beside her, before the girl runs out of the bus and straight towards the commotion. You knows best the kind of things that can happen if Chika is left to her devices, so she considers Yoshiko's panic reasonable. In fact, she was close to panicking as well, running out and following Yoshiko to the source of the noise.

"School idols! Become a school idol now!"

"Come and join the school idol club!"

You stops as she nears the center, finally able to see what's going on. Although she could guess thanks to the other's distinct voice, she confirms that Dia is also with Chika. There's a banner above them that's probably supposed to say 'School Idol Club', but the kanji seems wrong. A massive stack of flyers is in each girl's arms, being offered to passersby like it was candy. Yoshiko stands, mouth agape as she watches her friends running around.

"…I didn't think they were serious about starting a club." Yoshiko says, which causes You to stare at her.

"You knew that they were going to start a club?"

Yoshiko nods. "It's what they were talking about in the chat."

"Don't you think you should've told me something like that?"

"I told you. I didn't think they were serious."

Chika stops as she makes eye contact with You, waving with a flyer in her hand. "You-chan! Come here, check this out."

You freezes, and Yoshiko gives her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before turning around. "I'm heading to class. Try to distract them for as long as you can."

"Yoshiko-chan. Where do you think you're going?" Before the girl was able to leave, Dia stops her with a firm grip on her shoulder. "You weren't trying to get away from us, were you?"

"O-of course not." Yoshiko laughs nervously. "Can't you see I'm heading to class? I need to review my homework."

Dia smiles eerily. "Really? How uncharacteristic of you. But I'm sure you have time to take one of our flyers. Please consider joining us." Without another word, she shoves one of them into Yoshiko's hand, with Chika pushing one into You's.

"That's right!" Chika says, her eyes shining brightly. "We have a bunch of flyers, so if you think anyone else wants to be an idol, you can tell them to contact us. We need five members to join the club, so if you two are joining, that means we only need one more."

Dia looks around, noticing that most of the crowd has disappeared, and only a few students are still chatting with each other. They won't attract a large enough crowd if they decide to start shouting again, so they'll have to continue either during lunch, or tomorrow.

Taking her school bag, she carefully places the leftover flyers inside. "Come on. Let's head to class. Yoshiko, since you're so eager to review your work, let me-" She stops, her face turning pale as she realizes something. "I forgot to do my homework."

"Eh?" Chika sounds surprised, but she looks like she had been waiting for this moment her entire life. "No way! Dia, you're telling me that you forgot to do your homework?"

"S-shut up!" The normally-calm girl answers, completely flustered. "I forgot because you kept bothering me all night. I could've finished it if only you stopped trying to chat with me for an hour."

"You could've turned off your phone!"

You laughs as she watches the three of them walk to their class, with Yoshiko trailing behind the bickering duo. Having nothing else to do, she looks down at the flyer in her hands. Bright letters form the words 'School Idol Club' at the top, with two figures underneath it which You assumes are the founders of the club, Dia and Chika. At the very bottom, there are two contact numbers and social media accounts, with Dia and Chika's names in parentheses next to them, marking their respective owners.

It's fairly well done, although You isn't sure about the person responsible for it. Chika is more likely to be the person behind the concept, and less likely to be the person behind the actual drawing. It could be Dia, but art doesn't seem to be one of her interests. There's no way it could be Yoshiko, either, considering how surprised the girl was.

You was completely focused on the flyer, that she didn't see the person in front of her until it was too late. They walked into each other, causing the books the other girl was holding to fall on the ground.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" You exclaims, pushing the flyer into her bag before helping the girl pick up her books. Upon closer inspection, she realizes that all of them are still plastic-wrapped.

"No, it's fine. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going either." The girl answers. You looks up, and the first thing she sees is the girl's red ribbon. She continues raising her gaze, taking in more of the girl's features. Her hair is similar to Dia's, long and straight, but with a crimson-shade, while her eyes are golden like Hanamaru's.

You hands the books back to her, which she accepts with a nod before standing up. "Thank you. You seem to be in a bit of a hurry, so I apologize for slowing you down."

You smiles at the girl, standing up as well. "Don't worry, I'm not really in a hurry anyway. I'm not gonna be late for a good while."

"Then, would you mind doing a quick favor for me? If it's not too much to ask, of course." The girl quickly adds. "I'm supposed to speak with the student council president. I believe her name is Matsuura-san?"

"Oh, yeah that's her." You says. "If she's not in class, then she's probably at the student council room. Come on, I'll show you the way." She offers, beginning to walk towards the room.

"Thank you very much, uhh…I'm sorry, I don't believe I know your name?" She asks shyly. "I'm Sakurauchi Riko."

"Watanabe You, at your service!" You gives the girl, Riko, a salute, eliciting a small giggle. "Pleased to meet you, Sakurauchi-senpai."

Riko's eyes lock onto You, focusing on her yellow ribbon for a moment before snapping back up. "R-right, you too. So I'm assuming you're a first-year?" Seeing You nod, Riko continues. "That's nice. Which class are you in?"

At that, You stares at Riko with a confused expression. "I'm in the first year class."

"No. I meant which first year class are you in?"

"The only one?" Hearing that, Riko's seems surprised, but doesn't ask any more questions.

You remains silent for the rest of the walk, only watching as Riko looks around the hall they're walking in. When they're near the student council room, You peeks in to see Kanan working at her desk. Stepping back, she looks at Riko. "Matsuura-san is in here, go ahead and talk to her."

"Of course. See you soon, Watanabe-san."

You waits for the girl to enter the room before turning around and heading to her class again. She pulls out the flyer from her bag, this time taking great care in not bumping into another person. As she gives it another look, she notices one very important thing missing. Even with how little she knows about idols, You knows that every group has their own name. But Chika and Dia must've forgotten to write it down, considering there's an empty space near the middle of the flyer. It's a small thing, but for someone else, it might seem like they haven't given it much thought.

Looking up, she sees Hanamaru leaving the class in a hurry, which makes You somewhat relieved. No need to awkwardly dodge her. Once inside, her eyes immediately go to the shy redhead, sitting alone with a very familiar paper in her hands. Her eyes widen as she approaches her. "Ruby-chan! Are you interested in being an idol?"

"W-waah!" The girl seems surprised at the sight of You standing in front of her, shrinking as she tries to hide her face behind the flyer. _How cute!_ "Oh, You-san…n-not really. Onee-chan gave it to me…." She mumbles softly.

You sighs sadly. Maybe Ruby doesn't like idols as much as Dia. "Really? That's a shame…Dia-chan and Chika-chan are really excited about it. They were handing out all these cute flyers around." She waves it around for emphasis.

From her position, You sees Ruby smiling. "I drew it. The flyer…do you like it?"

"You drew it?" Her smile widening, You stares at Ruby. "It's amazing! I didn't know you like to draw. Maybe you can give me some pointers to make my drawings cuter?"

"I-if you want. I'm not that great though." Ruby answers, but she seems happier. Hopefully, this is a good sign for their budding friendship.

"Why are you bothering Ruby-chan zura?"

You resist the urge to roll her eyes as she hears the person beside her. Hanamaru must've returned while they were talking. But rather than being annoyed, You finds something else of interest.

"Zura?" The word tastes unusual on her tongue, but the girl doesn't seem like a foreigner. Is it some kind of verbal tic? That would explain Hanamaru seeming like she was biting her tongue during their introductions to each other. She was trying to hide it.

Hanamaru looks annoyed at being ignored, turning to Ruby. "Ruby-chan, is she bothering you zura?"

"Hanamaru-chan…." Ruby glances between Hanamaru and You nervously. "You-chan isn't bothering me. She's nice."

"…are you sure?" She asks again, and when Ruby confirms her statement, Hanamaru turns to You and bows her head begrudgingly. "I'm sorry for bothering you zura."

You notices that people are watching them with interest, visibly distressing Ruby. "You don't have to be so formal…you're not being a bother." She stops, before smiling and talking in a lower voice. "But if you really want to make up for it…have you thought about being a school idol?" Maybe she can kill two birds with one stone, by getting another person in the club while making a new friend.

Hanamaru straightens up, looking guilty as she shakes her head. "I don't think I can do that. I'm not cut out to be an idol. Oh, but you can invite Ruby-chan." She suddenly cheers up, beaming while looking at her friend. "You'll be a school idol, right Ruby-chan?"

"Eh?! T-there's no way…." Ruby says quietly. "Besides, Hanamaru-chan would be so much better as a school idol than me."

"What? There's no way that's true zura. Ruby-chan is so cute, I'm sure you'll be amazing."

"Hanamaru-chan is cuter! Besides, you're a great singer too. There's no way they'd decline you."

Upon realizing that the conversation is going nowhere fast, You cuts in. "I-it's fine, I'm not going to force either of you to be a school idol." _Although right now, it looks like they were forcing each other._ "Just…if you want, you can contact Chika. Or your sister, I guess that's easier for you. I'll just…go now." Turning around, she rushes to her seat, placing her bag beside it and slamming her head onto the desk.

 _You shouldn't have been so forceful._ She thinks to herself. _Your first real conversation with them is you bothering Ruby-chan. Also, pointing out Hanamaru's verbal tic. No wonder she doesn't like you._ You looks up, seeing Ruby and Hanamaru staring back at her before they return to their own devices, making You feel even more awkward. _They're probably thinking some pretty bad things about me. Oh well, can't fix it now._

Stashing away the flyer for later, You takes out her phone to check for messages. Just like yesterday, she gets an invitation from Chika to have lunch, this time at the cafeteria. And just like yesterday, with nothing else to occupy her time, she instantly accepts. It's pathetic, but until she can make progress with 'Operation: Befriend Ruby and Hanamaru', this is the best thing she has.

* * *

Time flies, and You takes her hastily-wrapped lunchbox the moment the teacher leaves the class. The rest of her classmates are eating with each other in their respective groups, and although You already has her own plans, it still hurts not to have anyone invite her.

Navigating her way to the cafeteria, You sees Chika and Yoshiko sitting at one of the tables, as expected. However, Dia is nowhere in sight. When she approaches the two, she sees that they seem to be in a worse mood than when she saw them this morning. Well, _Yoshiko_ looks a lot worse, while Chika seems mostly normal.

"Chika-chan! Yoshiko-chan!" You shouts enthusiastically. "Where-"

"It's Yo-ha-ne!" Yoshiko interrupts her, turning to glare in You's direction.

"W-what?" You looks at her, before glancing at Chika, who shrugs with an expression that tells You to just play along. "Alright…Yohane."

Yoshiko, or Yohane, huffs as she returns her glare to the table. "Hmph. Foolish mortals…." She grumbles. Chika shoots her a pitying stare, before smiling at You.

"…don't mind her. Sit down, let's have some lunch." Chika instructs her. You sits down next to Chika, unwilling to bother Yoshiko when she seems weirder than usual. Opening her lunch, she pops the first question on her mind.

"Where's Dia-chan?" She asks, and immediately she sees Yoshiko scowling from across her position.

"Dia-chan is with Kanan-chan right now," Chika says, "I think Kanan-chan mentioned something about a new program, and since Dia-chan wants to be the student council president this year, Kanan-chan gave the offer to her. Although they've been there for a while…."

As Chika puts on a thoughtful expression, wondering why they're spending so much time together, You can feel blood beginning to rush to her face. Obviously Kanan isn't someone who would do shameless activities in school, but in a private room like the student council one, it's like anything can happen. If news gets out, however, considering how popular both of them are, You can only imagine how many hearts would be broken.

"Oh, but enough about that." Chika seems excited to change the subject. "We got a new transfer student in our class. She's _super_ cute. Her name was…."

"Riko." Yoshiko cuts in, stopping her sulking long enough to look at You. "That's her name, although she wasn't that cute."

The name, still fresh in her mind, sticks out to You. "Sakurauchi-san? Red hair, yellow eyes, you're talking about her?"

"You've met her?" Yoshiko seems surprised, but Chika immediately laughs.

"Of course You-chan already met her. Ah, the wonders of having a _senpai-_ complex." Chika winks, which almost causes You to choke on her food.

"Knock it off. I've had enough of Kanan-chan telling me I have a complex, I don't need you telling me the same." She takes a few hasty bites, distracting herself from Chika's words. Yoshiko is shooting an intense stare in her direction, sending chills down her spine. Just when she opens her mouth to speak, Yoshiko grins.

"If both your childhood friends are saying it, isn't it fairly likely that you do have a complex?" You groans.

"Not you too…." With Chika laughing even louder now, You can feel herself smiling. Even when she's the target of constant teasing, it's fun to do it with everyone else. But whenever she looks at Yoshiko, she can't help but feel that something is off. She resolves to ask about it on the bus home.

* * *

 **Damn, I'm three weeks late on this. I had finals going on, but I still didn't expect it to be this late. I apologize for that. On a slightly better note, I've decided on the pairings that'll be in the story. Since I can't tag them, I'll probably mention them in the next chapter, but that depends on if people would rather be 'surprised' or just know straight out.**

 **Also, poor Yoshiko's going to be suffering for the next few chapters...**


	7. The School Idol Club

**A/N: I've finally decided on the ENDGAME pairings. They'll be KanaMari, YouRiko, and RubyMaru along with ChikaDiaYoshi, which had been decided since the prologue. On to the story!**

* * *

"The School Idol Club has been officially _approved_!"

Only minutes before lunch break ends, You is surprised when Dia slams a sheet of paper onto their table. Chika and Yoshiko seem just as surprised as her, but when Chika realizes what Dia had said, she immediately turns ecstatic.

"What? No way!" She looks over at the paper, and You follows suit. The paper has an 'Approved' stamp on it, as well as Kanan's signature, which is more than enough to confirm its legitimacy.

"Oh, it wasn't that hard," Dia says, "I made an agreement with Kanan, and she allowed us to start the club with only three members as long as we can get two more in three months."

"So, just before midterms," Chika mutters, nodding her head. "That's more than enough time. You really are amazing, Dia-chan!"

"O-of course! This is only the bare minimum of what I can do." Dia seems far too smug about something that, in her own words, _wasn't that hard_ , but You isn't here to nitpick. Instead, she focuses back on the paper, scanning its contents.

 _Founders: Takami Chika, Kurosawa Dia._

 _Members: Tsushima Yoshiko._

"Eh?" Chika suddenly speaks up, grabbing the paper in an uncharacteristically gentle manner, as if worried about accidentally tearing it. "You didn't write You-chan's name here."

"That's right. You never gave us a concrete answer, and you seemed somewhat reluctant. You also have the swimming club, so I didn't want to write down your name without permission." Dia then smiles, pulling out a pen from her pocket and waving it around. "But if you've made up your mind, feel free to join us at any time."

"Ah…let me think about it for a bit more then." You is glad that she'll have more time to think about it. She didn't want to join on a whim, but she also wanted to help Chika form the club as fast as possible. At least now she'll have more time to mull it over.

As Yoshiko looks at the paper held by Chika and sees her name listed as one of the members, she turns to Dia. "Why is my name there?" She asks, which makes Dia look at her with a deadpan expression.

"Is there an issue with that? We needed at least three people, so I wrote down our names. But I only wrote you down as a member, so you shouldn't end up being too burdened with managing the club. Oh, and should we do something for club day? We don't have anything prepared yet, but it would be such a good way to attract more people…." Dia frowns, her gaze going between the club application form and the other two members.

"…perhaps we can perform a cover?" Dia says tentatively. "If we're going to showcase our singing and dancing skills, using a song and choreography that already works means there's less risk involved. Don't you agree?"

"No way!" Chika loudly exclaims, drawing the attention of everyone at the table and all other adjacent ones. "That's not the point! School idols are about doing your best and trying to shine! If you just want to sing, then you might as well just join the school choir!"

You considers that a good moment to cut in. "That's kinda true. Plus, if we focus more on everything we do by ourselves, it'll give us a unique edge over the others. So we won't be competing for applicants."

Dia seems satisfied at their answer. Out of nowhere, she pulls out a few sheets of paper and two pens, dividing them between Yoshiko and Chika. "Alright, it's settled then. You two, get to work." Dia grins, looking as smug as ever. "Since I'll be handling the choreography, that means you two can work on the costumes and lyrics. I expect them to be done by Thursday morning, so we'll have the rest of the day, as well as Friday morning to practice for our performance."

"Should've just done the stupid cover…." Yoshiko grumbles as Chika gives her an apologetic glance. Then, Chika realizes that something is missing.

"What about the composition?"

"I'll handle that too," Dia says off-handedly, "Don't worry. Just focus on your work. I recommend splitting it up. It's easier to set your mind to doing one thing rather than doing half of two things. But first of all…." Dia pulls out another paper and pen. "…we need to decide on a theme for the song."

The bell rings, and Dia's smirk disappears. "…it appears we'll have to decide on the theme of the song later."

"See you later, You-chan!" "Farewell, little demon!" No sooner than that, Chika and Yoshiko both leave the cafeteria, running to their class. Dia sighs.

"Take care, You-san. I have to return the form to Kanan…and make sure those two don't do anything stupid." Getting up to leave, she gives You a small, genuine smile. "Please consider our offer. I would be overjoyed to have you in the club. I'm sure those two share the same sentiment as I do."

"I will." You stands up, heading towards her own class while Dia goes to the student council room. During the way, she can't help but wonder about the nature of Dia's friendship with Kanan. According to Kanan, they're childhood friends, but she doesn't remember Kanan ever talking about her. And considering Chika's surprise yesterday, she wasn't aware of it either. What good would there be for Kanan to hide some of her friends from her other ones? It's not like You or Chika would try to scare her away (alright, _maybe_ they would), and they're able to get along well, so Kanan's own excuse no longer fits.

 _Maybe Kanan's just uncomfortable sharing it with us_ , You muses to herself. She'll be the first to admit that she also has things she wouldn't want to share with her two friends.

…but it still didn't make sense. Why would she get uncomfortable just talking about someone? Then she remembers, _Kanan is crushing on Dia_. That makes more sense now. She was probably trying to avoid getting teased.

Satisfied with her thoughts, You walks into class. The others are already in their seats, getting their books ready for the next subject. Of course, as she passes Ruby and Hanamaru's desk, she can't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"-school idols, right here in Uranohoshi! Isn't that amazing Hanamaru-chan"

"It got approved, zura?"

"Mhm! I heard they're holding their first live this week. I can't wait."

 _News really does spread fast_. It's only been a few minutes since Dia told them that the application was accepted. Chika was definitely drawing too much attention to herself. Things were only going to get harder for them, but she's sure that they can pull it off.

…right?

* * *

"Yoshiko-chan, that wouldn't work."

"Really? It seems like a pretty good idea to me."

"Please don't encourage her…," Dia says, staring at the paper in front of her with disdain, "There is absolutely no way we're using this as the theme of our live show."

"What's wrong with fallen angels?" Yoshiko asks, "I mean, I think it can work."

"We're trying to attract people to our club, not push them away. And no matter how you do it, I can't see fallen angels being a very attractive idea."

Yoshiko looks sadly at her early design. A gothic lolita dress based on the outfit she uses for her live streams, with minor adjustments to make it somewhat unique. Even if it wasn't the most original idea, it hurts to have it completely rejected.

"Well, I still think it's a great idea." Chika shrugs. Yoshiko silently thanks her. "That's two in favor and one against, so that means we're using that as the theme of our live show."

"Are you two even listening to me?" Dia clenches her fist, resisting the urge to pound the desk and attract everyone's attention. "We're _trying_ to make our club accessible to everyone. Believe it or not, high schoolers won't be interested in this."

"Dia-chan!" Yoshiko puts up her hand, stopping Chika from talking.

"Chika, stop. Dia is right." She says, giving a small smile. "It's fine, I wasn't really trying too hard with these costumes anyway. I can make new ones as long as we can figure out the theme today."

"Yoshiko-chan…." Chika stares for a while, before sighing. "Fine. If we can't do fallen angels, what ideas do you have?"

"Well, since our main goal is to show the full appeal of school idols, we should go for a normal concert. Going for a specific theme would divide people too much." Dia explains.

"That's not an idea, Dia-chan…."

"But she does have a point," Yoshiko says, "Idols are inspiring in their own right. Using a specific gimmick might take away the charm. So I think we should do that too. That's two in favor."

"Huh?" Chika seems confused by Yoshiko's sudden decision. "Then…I'm in favor as well."

"Perfect!" Dia answers, "Well then, let's do our best. We have to finish these quickly after all." Dia faces the clock hanging on the classroom wall and immediately stands up."Speaking of quickly, I need to do something. If the teacher comes in, tell her I'm with the student council president."

"You're meeting up with Kanan-chan again?" Chika asks, and Dia nods her head.

"Yes. I'll see you two later."

"See you later," Yoshiko mumbles as Dia walks out of the classroom. Turning her head, she sees Chika staring at her scrutinizingly. "What?"

Chika pouts, continuing to stare at Yoshiko. "You shouldn't agree with everything Dia says."

Yoshiko looks down, back at her rejected design. "It's…not that. My idea wasn't even fleshed out, so I let Dia take the lead. It's for the club, so it's not like it matters."

"But…." Chika trails off, searching Yoshiko's expression for any kind of clue to her true feelings. "…you should be more honest. If you want something, you should tell me or Dia."

Chika stands up from her seat and walks to the front of Yoshiko's table. Once Yoshiko makes eye contact, Chika grins. "So, just tell me now. Is there anything you want?"

Yoshiko doesn't even have to think of the answer. She wants a lot of things. She wants to be taller, smarter, cooler, cuter, more respected, more athletic, and that's only the start. She wants to have more friends. _Actual_ friends, not acquaintances or classmates. She wants to get closer to Chika and Dia.

But as she stares at Chika's face, her eyes begin to hurt. Yoshiko isn't sure if it's because of how _bright_ Chika is, or if it's because of tears forming in her eyes. She lowers her gaze back to the paper.

If she's truly honest, she can tell Chika what she truly feels. But saying it now would be a waste, so she forces a laugh.

"I just want the club to be successful. I don't know as much about idols, but I'll do my best!"

Chika stares, silently, as if waiting for Yoshiko to continue and confess everything. But after a while, she nods and smiles. "That's great! If you need any help with the designs, just ask me for help! I know a lot thanks to You-chan, so I'm sure I can give you some pointers."

"Of course." She lowers her voice by an octave, putting on her false confidence. "A fallen angel is always ready to help her little demons, so don't be afraid of asking for help as well. Your mistress will be waiting."

"Of course, Yohane-sama." Chika giggles, and as brief as it is, Yoshiko genuinely feels blessed. She looks back at her paper, and her mood drops as fast as it rose. She flips the paper to its clean side, then begins sketching again.

* * *

When You heads home for the day and boards the bus, she's surprised to find Yoshiko already sitting at the back, staring blankly at something. You takes a seat, and peeks over the second year's shoulder to look at the object. When her eyes land on a drawing of Chika in a frilly, black and white dress, she can't help but show her appreciation.

"Uwaah! Yoshiko-chan, that's so good!" You gushes with enthusiasm, shocking Yoshiko out of her stupor. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," Yoshiko answers in a somber tone, folding the paper in half before placing it in her bag. "Well, it was my idea for our costume, but that's not what we're going for."

"Oh, that's a shame." You still smiles, although a lot of her early enthusiasm has faded. "Do you need some help? I got a ton of costumes in my closet that you can check out if you want inspiration."

"…I wonder if that's the only thing still in your closet." Yoshiko replies, an amount of friendly snark replacing the previous somberness. "But sure. Perhaps I can grace you with my presence. Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, that's good," You says. When Yoshiko returns to staring at nothing with a blank expression, You decided to bring up the serious questions. "Is something the matter?"

"…yes. Everything's fine."

"Are you sure?" You pushes. "You've been a bit off ever since I saw you at lunch. You're usually livelier than this."

"We've known each other for less than a day." Yoshiko turns to face You, and for the first time, You sees a mixture of sadness and fear.

"Please, you can trust me." You begs. "You might think of me as a complete stranger, but I really do care about you as a friend."

Yoshiko turns away from You's pleading look. "…what kind of person would I be to burden my underclassmen like that?"

"Aren't you stubborn?" You lets out a sigh. "Fine. Take off your ribbon."

"Why?"

"Please, just do it." Utterly confused, Yoshiko can only nod as she pulls on her ribbon, undoing it before passing it to You. The younger girl follows, before placing both ribbons in her backpack. "There. Now we're just ordinary Uranohoshi students. We're exactly the same, so you can tell me what's going on."

"…that's not how it works," Yoshiko says, although she now has a small smile plastered on her face. "Where did you get that ridiculous idea from?"

"Chika-chan, obviously." You returns the smile with more energy. "She did this when Kanan was feeling down, and it worked out pretty well, so I wanted to cheer you up this way too."

"She always comes up with the craziest ideas." Yoshiko laughs a bit, some cheer finally returning to her voice.

"So, can you tell me what's wrong now?"

Yoshiko mulls the idea over, seeming deep in thought for a good minute. "You're so stubborn." Yoshiko looks at You, smiling. "I guess it wouldn't hurt. As long as you don't tell anyone."

"You have my word!" Leaning down, she gets closer to Yoshiko so they can lower their voice, making them more conspicuous but also less likely for anyone to eavesdrop.

Yoshiko takes a deep breath, and You waits with bated breath for the big reveal. "It's Dia." Yoshiko starts. "I don't think she likes me very much. Or at all, to be honest."

"Well, first of all, we only started talking to each other after I became friends with Chika. So I guess we're more like…two connected duos, rather than one trio, if that makes any sense." You nods, urging Yoshiko to continue.

"And…when she talks with Chika, she has so much fun. She's never like that with me. It's like she doesn't even care. It's what you saw yesterday. She never asks 'Yoshiko-chan, are you okay?' It's always 'Yoshiko-chan, you weren't late, were you?'" Yoshiko mimics Dia's voice with an insane level of accuracy. "She tells me to come early, to be more responsible, to focus more on my studies every single night. It feels like I'm her project to make the teachers love her even more. Whipping the 'problem girl' into shape, wouldn't that look good on her fucking diploma." Yoshiko curses, hurt seeping back into her voice

"I don't think she approves of my fallen angel thing either. It's why I've been kinda toning it back a bit. I dunno, it's just…frustrating." You feels bad for Yoshiko. It sounds like her relationship with Dia had been strained for a while, only held together by the strand that is Takami Chika.

"And that's not the worst part. The thing is…I-I may have a crush on her."

You must've missed a very critical part of their conversation. That's the only excuse she has for a statement so far out of left field like that. She almost falls over by how surprised she was by the girl's confession. "Sorry, can you say that again?"

"Like…you've seen her happy before, right?" Yoshiko asks, a smile threatening to break out from her sad expression. "It's cute. It might sound a bit cheesy…but I want to make her smile more often."

You remains silent as she watches Yoshiko baring her heart, discarding all of her facades right in front of her. It's so unexpected to see her like this, that You can't think of doing anything but just listening.

"It's not like I stand a chance, though." Yoshiko does a short, bitter laugh. "I mean, have you seen my competition? I'm competing with _Kanan_ of all people. God, I'm completely shit. I guess this is what you call losing a race before it starts."

"There's no such thing as that." You tries encouraging the depressed girl. "Sure, they look close. But I've never seen them hanging out outside of school."

"Dia rejected going home with me because she's already walking home with Kanan."

"Then…chin up." You hates sounding like a downer, but looking at one positive is at least better than looking at none. "There's plenty of fish in the sea. And you're pretty cute too, so I'm sure a lot of people would want to date you."

Yoshiko flinches, and You figures out that she said something wrong. "That's my…second problem. I'm also in love with…." The last part was muttered, no audible sound reaching You's ears. She leans in just a bit closer.

"Can you say that again?" You prods Yoshiko, and the other girl repeats her statement. This time, however, You hears it.

"I'm also in love with Chika."

"Chika-chan!?" Taken off-guard by the second confession, You's voice rises.

"Can you be a bit louder, please? It's not like I still have some pride left."

Understanding the sarcastic request, You lowers her voice again after shooing away other passenger's curious stares. "Then, what's the problem with Chika-chan?"

"You mean other than me having a crush on her?"

"Doesn't sound like too big of a problem."

"I wish it wasn't." Yoshiko scoffs. "But you've seen her with Dia. They have a lot in common, and they've been friends for longer than me."

"But Dia likes Kanan, right?"

"Chika's also close with Kanan. They're childhood friends, right? I'm sure they can work it out together…."

The awkward atmosphere finally returns. You is silenced as she stares at Yoshiko. It's like the girl is a magnet of bad luck, with every worst-case scenario befalling her. The silence is only broken by a small sob coming from her.

"H-hey, don't cry." You says, carefully pulling Yoshiko into a hug. It takes little to no resistance as the girl decides to bury her face into You's shoulders, muffling her cries.

"What am I going to do?" Yoshiko chokes out. "If they start dating, I don't think I can take it."

"There, there. Everything's going to be fine…." You whispers, patting the girl's back while shooting evil glares at other passengers. She resists the urge to scream at them; it would only startle Yoshiko even more.

"…I'm tired. I'm so _tired_ , You." Yoshiko responds softly. "I'm tired of being alone for so long. I've been alone for _nine years_. I haven't had a real friend since kindergarten. A-and I had so much fun last year, what if Dia and Chika ditch me? I don't want to go back to being alone…."

"You won't." Hugging Yoshiko a bit closer, You hears a small chuckle coming from her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be bothering an underclassman like this…."

To that, You shakes her head. "Right now, we're just ordinary Uranohoshi students. We're exactly the same."

The trip to Numazu is the most silent one she's experienced since meeting Yoshiko. When she gets off the bus, she has a wet patch on her sleeve and a lot to think about.

* * *

"…Dia, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

As the duo of Kanan and Dia walk out of the school, they stop in front the entrance.

Dia hums thoughtfully. "We're both staring at the sky, Kanan. Unless you are referring to the sun, I believe we're looking at the same thing."

"I could be looking at those birds." Kanan attempts a joke, but the situation at hand is so shocking that neither has it in them to laugh.

Soaring above the skies of Uchiura, attracting the attention of passersby and fellow students, is a bright pink and white helicopter.

"…there's no way it's anyone else, huh?" Kanan finally says as the helicopter flies out of view a good few minutes later.

"There's only one possible candidate." They continue walking. Excitement bubbles in their hearts as they imagine what it'd be like if it was true.

"…is she really back?" Kanan asks. Her last bit of uncertainty is blown away as Dia smiles at her.

"Of course. She promised after all. Besides, she owes me a birthday present." Dia laughs, and Kanan smiles as well.

"She owes me two." The rest of the walk is spent telling jokes and stories. Something is amiss for now, but neither of them mind.

Deep in their hearts, they can already feel a third presence.

* * *

 **A/N: This isn't a YouHane story, but if it was...**

 **"A-and I had so much fun last year, what if Dia and Chika ditch me? I don't want to go back to being alone…."**

 **"You won't." You hugs Yoshiko a bit closer. "You'll still have me."**

 **So cute! I hope they have more interaction in season 2!**

 **Also, Yoshiko might suffer for the next few chapters. Just a warning.**

 **(I love her to bits. This is my way of showing love)**


	8. Determination

**New chapter! The beginning of Aqours! Also, this chapter is my longest one yet thanks to YouHane bonding. Enjoy!**

* * *

" _i'm sorry for what happened on the bus"_

When You feels her phone vibrating just when she's about to take a bath, she didn't expect it to be Yoshiko wanting to talk to her so soon. Walking towards the bathroom, she types in a quick reply.

" _didn't i say that it's fine?"_

She places the phone on the dry counter, making sure that it's safe from any body of water before starting the bath. She hears her phone buzzing again, and quickly checks the new message.

" _I know. just want to say thanks"_

" _no problem"_

Satisfied with the result and praying that Yoshiko will be able to have a good conclusion to everything, she begins to rinse herself in the shower. Once that's done, she sets an alarm just in case she falls asleep in the bath before getting in. Of course, it's not like she would even think of sleeping, not with everything in her mind. Her thoughts go back to Yoshiko, as well as the other second-years.

 _Yoshiko-chan likes both Dia-chan and Chika-chan._ What would normally make it easier to move on from a rejection turns into a heartbreaking bout of bad luck for Yoshiko. If a goddess of love exists, she must really hate Yoshiko's guts. You might not even be able to move on after that kind of rejection, should she be in Yoshiko's position. And as cheerful as Yoshiko can be, there's no way she'll be able to just bounce back from this.

"Ahh…Chika-chan, why are you so dense…." She mutters to herself. Chika, as the centerpiece of the trio's friendship, would be the easiest way to reunite Yoshiko and Dia if she discovered the problem herself. As it stands, it feels too much like a breach of Yoshiko's privacy, and would be going against You's own promise.

You's phone buzzes yet again, and she's tempted to dry off and check the new message. But since it's unlikely that it's Yoshiko again, and she doesn't remember anything urgent, she decides to relax for the time being. She can pretend like nothing is wrong, and enjoy soaking in the warm bath.

Then her phone buzzes again. And again. And again. And You regrets not silencing it before getting in the bath. With a tired sigh, she removes herself from the bathtub, drying off as much as possible before retrieving her phone.

A notification from a group chat. _UraGirls School Idol Club_. Checking it, she sees that it's the group made yesterday, renamed to reflect their new status. The new messages are more interesting, however.

" _guys guys i finished it"_

The message is followed by a document titled _' '_

" _Chika-chan, how did you finish that already?"_

" _i just wrote it"_

" _That's not what I meant."_ You can practically feel Dia's exasperation from across the screen through her message.

" _anyway, you can finish the choreography and composition now, dia-chan."_

" _Perfect. Looks like the three of us can finish this by Thursday morning after all."_

" _You-chan's also here."_ Chika points out before You does herself.

" _You-san! Please don't read the lyrics. We want you to be surprised like the others."_

" _Fine."_ You responds. _"Then please talk in a group without me."_

" _Good idea."_ You has only a second to read the message before she receives another notification.

 _Watanabe You has been removed from UraGirls School Idol Club by Kurosawa Dia._

You puts her phone back on the counter, staring mournfully at the bath. It's probably still somewhat warm, but it's far less tempting to go back in when she's already dry. She pulls the plug, letting all of the water go down the drain as she puts on her casual clothes.

 _What should I do next?_ You thinks to herself once she's done getting redressed and takes her phone. She wants to have dinner with her family, but maybe she can have a small snack while she does her homework. She goes to the kitchen and starts digging through the fridge.

"I need to eat more fruits…." You reminds herself, looking for anything appealing. "A mikan would work." She takes one of the bright orange fruit and peels off the skin, discarding it in the trash. She puts the first piece into her mouth, savoring its sweet-and-sour taste before swallowing. The second piece follows, as well as the third, until she's finished the whole thing. It leaves her unsatisfied, however, so she takes another one from the fridge. Peel, peel, peel. Chew, swallow, repeat. You gets a third one to eat while she's studying.

Moving back to her room, she grabs the question sheet that was handed out by the teacher. History's something that, at the very least, makes sense to her. And luckily, she's not a completely terrible student. She remembers small bits of information that was explained during the lesson, and the rest she can research herself. Research, of course, includes searching through the book, the internet, and begging for answers in their class group chat.

So overall, just like middle school again.

With the homework done, mikan peel leftover on her desk, and her parents still not home, You starts scrolling through her chats, reading messages she forgot to check earlier. It's lonely without Chika, Dia, and Yoshiko bothering her. _Would it be bad if I decide to bother one of them?_ They're so busy preparing for their live, but You's lonely. She goes towards her contacts, passing ' _Chika'_ and ' _Dia'_ until she reaches the end. She taps on Yoshiko's name.

You only needs to wait a bit before Yoshiko picks up. _"You? What's up?"_

"Yoshiko-chan! I'm not interrupting, right?"

" _No. I was actually about to call you."_ Yoshiko answers. _"I wanted to talk about earlier. On the bus."_

"Are you going to apologize again?" You asks. "I already told you that it's fine."

" _No no, that's not why I wanted to call. It's about the costumes."_ Yoshiko clarifies. _"I know I asked for tomorrow, but can I come around now? I'm in a bit of a pinch."_

"Sure. I'll text you my address, okay?"

" _Thanks a lot, You."_ Yoshiko hangs up, and You quickly starts a new chat for the two of them. She sends her address, and only a few seconds later Yoshiko replies that she's on her way, leaving You to wait yet again.

 _Should I get something for us to eat?_ Even if Yoshiko just wants inspiration, it's normal to offer refreshments if you have a guest, right?

You goes back to the kitchen and puts two fresh mikans on a metal tray. That should do it.

She walks back to the living room and places the metal tray on a table. You's buzzing with excitement as she waits for Yoshiko. It's rare for her to have a friend over that's not Chika or Kanan, after all.

 _Although,_ You thinks to herself, _that means I've only had upperclassmen over. Maybe I do have a senpai-complex?_

 _...no way_. She forcibly pushes the thought back. It's almost like she's trying to embarrass herself.

You spends a few more minutes in silence before the doorbell rings. That must be Yoshiko. She checks through the peephole to make sure before opening the door, giving Yoshiko a wide grin. "Yoshiko-chan! You came here pretty fast."

"My house isn't too far away." She returns the smile. "Excuse me," she says as she steps into the house, closing the door behind her. You notices that she's still dressed in the school uniform.

You motions towards the tray on the table. "Do you want some mikans?"

"Huh? Umm…." The guest glances between the pair of orange-colored fruit and You, who's still smiling at her with a pleased look. "I don't really like mikans. Sorry."

"Oh." You's expression falls, and Yoshiko feels a twinge of regret. Only a twinge, of course. "…sorry. I always give mikans to Kanan and Chika when they visit, so I guess it's a habit. Ahaha…." She laughs, sheepishly rubbing her neck. "I'll get you something else, then."

"Y-you really don't have to! I'll be fine." Yoshiko tries to stop her, but You shakes her head, smiling again.

"It's fine! Just tell me what you like."

"Well…do you have any spicy food?" You tries to think of anything in the kitchen that would qualify as spicy.

"I have a bottle of chili sauce." She eventually answers.

"I can't just drink chili sauce straight out of the bottle!"

"Hmm…" The thoughtful expression returns to You's face, which only frightens Yoshiko even more. "Have you tried putting it on mikan?"

"Huh?" Yoshiko seems perplexed for a moment. "I guess not...wait, that's not the point! And would that even taste good?"

"You wouldn't know unless you try it." You shrugs.

"No thanks," Yoshiko answers, feeling sick just from thinking of it. "Do you have any strawberries or chocolate? Sorry if I'm being too picky."

"It's fine! I think there's some milk chocolate in the fridge. Do you want some chili sauce to go with it?"

"I-I'm good, thanks." You nods, taking the pair of mikans with her as she goes to the kitchen. Yoshiko heads towards You's room, although she doesn't open anything until You comes in as well with a bar of chocolate and two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Winter's already over, you know." Yoshiko smiles, gratefully accepting one of the offered mugs.

"We have stock leftover, so I'm trying to get rid of most of it. Cheers!" They clink their mugs together, laughing as they sip the warm drink. Yoshiko has to stop herself from finishing the entire thing in less than a minute, instead placing it on the nightstand next to You's bed.

"So, you wanted to show me some outfits?"

"That's right." You places her own mug, which is visibly less empty, next to Yoshiko's. "Do you have any ideas already? A uniform or another early sketch?"

"Nothing other than the fallen angel one...which was rejected."

You walks towards her dresser and opens it, revealing at least a dozen different uniforms. "Tell me what you like, then!"

"That's way too much..." Yoshiko says, although she moves towards the dresser as well, looking at the uniforms. "...where did you even get these from?"

"I made most of them myself!" You answers proudly, "I bought some of the more complicated ones, like this maid outfit here." She pulls out a monochrome, frilly maid outfit.

"There's no way Dia would wear something like this...but it would look so good on her." Yoshiko begins to smile.

"Right? Her hair would look really nice with the black-and-white colors." You agrees, "but Chika would also look good. The skirt is pretty short, so it'll show off more of her thighs."

"I-I don't want to think about that!" Despite Yoshiko's cheeks turning red, she's still staring at the outfit. "...can you try it on?"

"What?"

"C-can you try in on?" Yoshiko repeats, blushing even brighter. "I don't have any weird intentions. I just want to see how it would look with someone wearing it."

"...fine." You removes the outfit from the clothes hanger. "Turn around."

Yoshiko obeys, turning her back to You while she gets changed. A minute later, she feels someone tapping her shoulder, and turns around to face You again, now dressed in the maid outfit. "How is it?"

"...this can work." Yoshiko sits down on You's bed, pulling out a notepad and a pencil from her pocket and beginning to draw. "Your measurements are pretty similar to Chika, right?"

"Yeah. Do you want me to pose?"

"N-no. That'd be too embarrassing." Yoshiko continues to draw, laser-focused on the piece of paper in front of her. After around three minutes, she holds up her new drawing. "Check it out!"

You gets closer, observing Yoshiko's design. It's definitely inspired by the maid uniform, considering the short skirt, the ribbon around the waist, as well as frills covering a good amount of the outfit, including the top of the outfit above the chest and the very bottom of the skirt. Detached sleeves and a pair of white gloves cover the arms, while simple stockings cover the legs. _How can Yoshiko draw that fast?!_

As You continues to run her eyes over the drawing, she notices something peculiar and decides to tease Yoshiko about it. "You really are fantasizing about seeing Chika in this outfit, aren't you?" Although it might seem subtle to an untrained eye, You can tell that the drawing is modeled after Chika. Her bangs and the hair sticking out from the top of her head is her signature at this point, and if it's not obvious enough the skirt is decorated with mikan patterns.

"O-of course not! It'd be awkward if I drew you, and Chika'll be wearing the outfit if it gets accepted, so I'm just doing what I'm supposed to." Yoshiko seems defensive, however, so You keeps pushing.

"You also drew Chika in the fallen angel outfit, right? Is she the only person you can draw?"

"Of course not. Besides, we're getting off-track. What do you think of the picture?" Yoshiko asks again.

"It's really cute, but I don't think Dia would want to wear it."

"Yeah, I figured." Yoshiko lays down on the bed, groaning. "This might be a major waste of time..."

"Don't be like that!" You takes the notepad from Yoshiko, staring at it closely. "...if you change most of the colors and get rid of some of the accessories, it might look less like a maid outfit. That might convince Dia."

"And if it doesn't?" Yoshiko sighs. "I'll have to sketch up some more designs and just give them all to Dia tomorrow."

"Can't you just message her?"

"She's probably too busy talking with Chika to notice," Yoshiko grumbles. "Oh well, guess I'll just have to give them to her tomorrow? Can you show me some more outfits?"

"What do you want to see?" You goes through her dresser again. "I don't think uniforms are going to convince Dia."

"Do you have _anything_ that resembles an idol outfit?" You shakes her head. "...then what do we do?"

"We can always search online. It might be our best bet." You picks up her normal clothes, getting ready to change into them again. "Look for other school idol groups and check out their costumes. That should work."

Yoshiko searches the only name she's familiar with, μ's, and begins going through the dozens of pictures available. Some are what she's looking for, the outfits, while others... _aren't_ what she's looking for. Nonetheless, she proceeds to bookmark a few doujins before going back to her original goal.

You's finally changed back into her clothes, carefully folding the maid outfit. "Did you find anything?"

"I found a lot of things." Yoshiko blurts out. "...none of which are very useful."

"Ehh? Are you even looking properly?" Laying down beside Yoshiko, she stares at the girl's phone, looking at the pages as well. "...this looks nice." She points to an outfit consisting of a white-and-pink top, a tie, a jacket, and a skirt, as well as some kind of hair accessory.

"I think that's from one of their popular songs. No way we can use that."

"How about this?" You points again, this time at an outfit consisting of a black-and-white top and skirt, with nothing covering the stomach.

"Dia will never agree to this."

"...this?" She points to a maid outfit worn during one of their lives in Akiba.

"We don't need another maid outfit." Yoshiko continues scrolling, until she stops at a picture. She clicks on it, and shows it to You. "This one?"

There are three outfits in the picture; a pink one, a green one, and a blue one. The part underneath the outer layer seems to be white, as well the pair of 'sleeves' going from above their elbow all the way to their wrist. A ribbon of a darker shade to the rest of the outfit completes the ensemble.

"I've never seen this one before." You says, "But...I think it's nice. It's simple, but it's cute. Plus, you can just change the colors and they'll all look different. Or maybe the ribbons" She tries to discern any other details, but the grainy picture is making it difficult for her. "Can you look for another picture of the outfit? Maybe from other angles?"

"Hold on, which song is this from, anyway?" Yoshiko taps the link, leading towards a page containing an interview which she skims hurriedly. The find the image again, this time with a caption underneath giving all the information they need. "The song's called 'START:DASH!'."

Yoshiko seems excited as she pulls up a new tab and searches for the song. When they look for pictures of the performance, they're immediately disappointed.

"Why are they wearing school uniforms?" Yoshiko shouts. The top pictures all show a performance in an auditorium, but none of the girls in the picture are wearing anything resembling the outfits from before. Instead, all of them are wearing the now famous Otonokizaka uniform, minus the blazer.

"Are you sure this is the right song?" You asks.

"Of course! It says so right there, see?" Yoshiko pulls up the interview again, shoving the phone in You's face.

You reads the text underneath once, twice, three times to make sure it's right. Obviously, Yoshiko is indeed correct. "Maybe there's something in the interview about it?"

"We don't have time to read the whole thing." Yoshiko groans. "Is that our only choice?"

"We can ask Dia or Chika about it." You offers.

"I don't want to bother them." Trying to get comfortable, the older girl begins going through the interview. You, with nothing else to do, picks up her hot chocolate again, slowly emptying its contents. It takes a while, and You has finished her drink and is wondering if she should make another one before Yoshiko speaks up.

"It's from an older performance." She explains, "That's why there's only three. They were made when there were only three members."

"Wait, seriously?" You lays down on the bed again, looking curiously at Yoshiko's phone. "Then why aren't there any other pictures..."

"It was a failed live."

"Oh." You can't bring herself to say anything else, and neither can Yoshiko. It's somewhat surprising, to hear about a failure from a group that's so highly revered by her friends and in general.

"'There were only 9 people who attended the live,'" Yoshiko reads aloud, "they consisted of the 6 soon-to-be members of μ's, and 3 of Honoka's classmates who were asked to help run the performance. Those 3 would end up forming their own group and bringing home the 'Love Live!' trophy to Otonokizaka for the second time in a row, followed by a third victory by the hands of Kousaka Yukiho and Ayase Alisa.'"

As interesting as the history of Otonokizaka's dominant streak in Love Live is, You feels like they're digressing too far. "What about the live?"

"Oh, right." Yoshiko skips some more text before stopping again. "'The only recording of the performance available was recorded by Ayase Eli, which has since been privatized."

"Are you _kidding_ me?!" You almost yells out in frustration.

"Look at the bright side, though." Yoshiko faces You and gives a small chuckle. "We can just work with the base idea and work out the rest by ourselves. We'll make an original Uranohoshi-style costume!"

"...Dia wants them done by Thursday, right? It's gonna be hard to design and make three original outfits in two days." When Yoshiko's grin turns wider, You feels a shiver run down her spine.

"That's where you come in." Yoshiko starts, but You can already tell what's at the end. "You said that you made some of those outfits, right?"

"Yoshiko-chan..." You's words stopped in her throat when Yoshiko begins to actually beg.

"Please, You!" She says, "I will _literally_ get on my hands and knees if I have to! I need to get these outfits done by Thursday or Dia will hate me even more!" Yoshiko's voice cracks only slightly, but it's enough to make You wince.

"You don't need to go that far." You answers, grabbing the girl's shoulder to make sure she doesn't do it. "I'll do my best, but I need fabric and the design and everything. Even if we finish the designs today, we'll have to get all of the materials and finish tomorrow."

"...I can handle it." Yoshiko whispers, tossing away any hint of uncertainty in her tone. "I'll finish the designs tonight and I'll send them to you. I'll get the fabric ready for tomorrow, and I'll bring all of it to your house."

Despite everything, You can't help but to shoot Yoshiko a pitying look. "...you're really gonna do all of that? Just to get these outfits done?"

The second-year nods. "I have to. Dia and Chika have put their trust in me. I can't afford to mess up again."

"You really do love them, don't you?"

"I'm not a liar, You." Yoshiko chuckles, a confident smirk appearing on her face. "When a fallen angel makes a promise, they keep it. Those outfits will be the best thing to grace the eyes of any mortal."

"Don't get ahead of yourself." You gives Yoshiko a pat on the shoulder before getting off the bed, taking her empty cup. When she reaches for the other one, Yoshiko's hand latches onto hers.

"I'm going to finish it." She states simply. "I'll bring it to the kitchen later."

"I can teach you how to make it if you like it that much."

Just as You heads to the kitchen, she hears the doorbell ringing again, followed by a shout. "You?"

 _Oh, my parents are home_. Hastily placing the cup in the sink, she opens the door to let her parents in. "Welcome home!" She greets them. Her mother's response is:

"Whose shoes are those?" as she points towards Yoshiko's.

"I have a friend over." You replies with the same calm tone as her mother.

Her mother raises an eyebrow quizzically. "Did Chika or Kanan buy new shoes?"

"Mom! They're not the only people I have over all the time!"

"Yes, they are."

"Well...not anymore." You corrects herself, which seems to make her mother giddy.

"How nice! Finally, you're making some friends your age." She smiles cheerfully, not knowing the actual truth. "Your father and I were worried that you kept hanging with people older than you. It's good to have people to look up to, but having someone your age as a comparison is also important!"

"Ahaha..." You laughs nervously, "...sorry to disappoint? She's a grade above me."

Her father breaks his stoic expression for a second, showing a smile that he rarely presents to anyone other than his wife and daughter. "Is she cute?"

"I think all girls are cute, dad."

"Fair point." He concedes. "Will she be having dinner here?"

"I haven't asked her yet."

"Invite her. What food does she like?" Her father asks.

"Spicy food."

Her mother stops to think for a second. "I think we have a bottle of chili sauce somewhere in the kitchen."

"She can't just drink chili sauce straight out of the bottle." You repeats Yoshiko's words, causing more confusion.

"Did you tell her to drink it straight out of the bottle?" Her mother asks.

"I didn't," You replies swiftly, before continuing, "...I only implied it."

Her mother sighs exasperatedly while her father looks amused. "Please just invite her to dinner. We'll be having Salisbury steak."

"Wait, really?" You seems even more excited, if that's possible, as she runs back to her bedroom.

"Yoshiko-chan!" She yells when she sees the girl chewing on her chocolate bar. "Please have dinner with us!"

Yoshiko swallows the chocolate before asking, "What?"

"Have dinner with us!" You repeats just as enthusiastically as before. "We'll be having Salisbury steak tonight."

"Oh..." Yoshiko seems to ponder over the offer for a few seconds. "...I won't be a bother?"

"Of course not!"

"Then I guess it'll be fine." Yoshiko stands up, finishing up the remains of her chocolate before following You. "My mom's going to be home late, and I can't cook."

"I can teach you how to cook." You offers, which causes Yoshiko to scoff.

"Come on, You. I'm supposed to be the upperclassman here. I can't let you teach me how to sew _and_ cook. It'll make me look bad."

They stop their conversation when they arrive at the dining room, Yoshiko discarding her eccentric personality for a more serious one, or at least attempting to. Over the course of dinner, You pokes fun at how much chili sauce Yoshiko is using, which she returns in the end by commenting on how You ate more mikan than steak tonight.

With nothing else to do, Yoshiko gets ready to leave. She makes sure she has what she brought earlier, including her phone and notepad. You accompanies her out of the door after she says farewell to her parents.

"I'll see you after school tomorrow?" She asks.

"Of course. Farewell, You." Her words are serious, but her tone is somewhat playful. You gives her friend a salute and a 'yousoro', which Yoshiko returns, albeit awkwardly.

You locks the door behind her and immediately runs towards her room. She would never say it, but she's panicking internally.

If μ's, a group that became school idols before the concept was completely oversaturated, failed to attract a crowd in Tokyo, what hope do three girls in Uchiura have?

No amount of optimistic thinking would be able to calm her nerves that night.


	9. The Beginning

You wakes up on Wednesday morning, completely drained of energy. Not due to physical fatigue, of course, but rather mental exhaustion. Her mind's filled not with theories and definitions, but the complicated relationship and possible love-triangle consisting of the second-year trio of Uranohoshi. On top of that, she's being roped into making costumes for them, which are supposed to be done by tomorrow.

It has only been two days since school started.

Although that does remind her of something. She checks her phone for any messages from Yoshiko, and finds one in the midst of other texts. Opening it, she sees the early designs of the costumes for their first live performance. On a single sheet of paper divided into three parts, each shows a single person wearing a different costume, along with a few extra drawings around it detailing certain, more complicated parts of the outfit. It's ambitious for something she's planning to get done tonight, but they might be able to pull it off if they're quick enough.

' _you owe me one yoshiko'_ , she replies in jest, putting down her phone to get ready for today's activities. After they come home from school, she'll come with Yoshiko to look for costume materials.

Her phone buzzes when You's putting on her uniform, her bag slung over her right shoulder. She picks the phone up to check the new message while walking towards the kitchen. It's Yoshiko again.

' _it's yohane'_ , then another after that, _'i know. thanks'_

' _it's cool'_

The message is soon marked as read, but Yoshiko doesn't look like she's going to respond, so You shuts her phone and focuses on breakfast. What'll I have today? she asks as she scours the fridge for leftovers. There's some steak left from dinner that she can use to make a sandwich, but she was thinking of something lighter. She could just fry an egg and use that for the sandwich, so that's what she decides on _._

While cracking a few eggs into the pan, You glances at the clock hanging on the wall. She still has a lot of time until the bus arrives, even considering the walk from her house to the bus stop. Maybe she can make two sandwiches and give the other to someone else?

 _That's a dumb idea_. Who would she even give it to? Yoshiko should've already had breakfast, as well as Kanan, Dia, and Chika. And as embarrassing as it is to admit, she's not close enough to anyone else to consider sharing food with them. She's still trying to fix that last one. After a few minutes and You deems the eggs 'good enough', she grabs two slices of bread and puts the egg between them.

She waits for it to cool before taking a bite. As good a cook as You normally is, it's relatively bland. Still, she can't just choose to not eat breakfast, and the food isn't bad, so You finishes the quick breakfast after a few more bites. Luckily, You won't have to cook her own lunch; it's already neatly wrapped and placed on the dining table. Considering her own cooking skills came from both her parents, she's sure that whatever is in it today will taste delicious.

With everything she needs for the day packed inside her bag, You finally goes out of the house, making sure the door is locked behind her. The walk to the bus stop is boring, but You is greeted by what's becoming a common sight at her destination.

"Yo." Yoshiko nods in acknowledgment, tapping mindlessly on her phone; You thinks Yoshiko's always playing with her phone whenever they meet. "You okay? You look a bit tired."

"Really? I don't feel tired." _At least physically_.

"Just a tiny bit." A look of concern crosses the second-year's expression. "Are you sure you don't mind shopping later?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." You brushes off the girl's concern. "We're just going around Numazu, right? I know all the good places for fabric and accessories!"

"Right. And then we'll go to your house to actually make them." Yoshiko stares at her lap, still tapping on her phone nervously. It comes to You's attention that her phone isn't actually on.

"You okay? You look off." You repeats the question Yoshiko asked her, getting closer when Yoshiko shakes her head in denial. "Really? Do you remember that you can tell me anything?"

Yoshiko's resolve crumbles after the question, and she finds herself once again spilling the truth to You. "It's nothing. I'm just a bit...stressed." When You doesn't respond, she continues. "Chika's already done with the lyrics. And Dia is Dia, so she's been bugging me nonstop about the outfits. It's kinda scaring me, like what if I can't finish them even with your help?"

"Oh." That's understandable. Even You, someone who has some amateur experience making outfits, is intimidated. Still, she can't help but play with her, _just a bit_. "I thought fallen angels weren't afraid of anything?"

"I'm not scared!" Yoshiko shouts, glaring at You. "My little demons are making too many demands for me to fill at this time. I have no fear."

"You just said you were scared. Also, she only made one demand." You sighs, watching as their bus rolls to a stop in front of them.

"It's a big demand! I'm not built for this kind of delicate work. Yohane was trained to defend herself in the pits of Hell."

"That's fine. I'll train Yoshiko to sew." You grins at the pouting girl, before walking into the bus. She sits down at the back, which is now their official go-to seats. "But seriously. It can't be that bad learning something new. Plus, you'll be making more outfits when you do more lives." When Yoshiko seems like she's about to object, You cuts her off. "You can't just wear the same outfit for all of your lives. People are going to get bored."

"I thought you can't have too much of a good thing?" The dark-haired girl grumbles, although she doesn't stay in a bad mood for long, eventually switching the subject. "So, have you mulled it over?"

"Mulled what over?"

"Dia's offer. Joining the school idol club. It'd be nice to have another member around." Yoshiko remarks.

"You mean it'd be nice for you to have someone else as a costume maker."

"That's not what I meant..."

You pretends to think about the offer while staring at Yoshiko, watching the other girl get flustered. "...I think I'd rather do the choreography and help take some burden off Dia."

"But you're great at making costumes!" Yoshiko argues.

"I'm also great at dancing."

"Ugh, fine!" Yoshiko goes back to pouting mode, staring out the window. Only after a few minutes of silence did she realize what You said. "So is that a yes? To joining the club?"

"...I guess I'll join. But," You adds when she sees Yoshiko moving to hug her, "I'll decide after the live. So try to impress."

"You don't have to worry about that." Just like that, Yoshiko's confidence returns twice-fold. "Just you wait! It'll be the best performance you'll ever see, with the most sparkling outfits ever created!"

"You're starting to sound like Chika with all that 'sparkling.'" You points out, before bursting into laughter at Yoshiko's offended look. "What? It's true!"

"W-well...Chika is kinda...inspiring." Yoshiko huffs, turning her away from You. "Since she first encountered the fallen angel, she's been kind to me. A magnificent person such as that deserves recognition for her efforts."

"'Chika is really nice, and she has a positive influence in my life, which is why I'm in love with her.' Did I get that right?" You 'translates' Yoshiko's fallen angel speech, eliciting a whine from the now-blushing girl.

"Ugh, maybe I shouldn't have told you about my crush if all you're going to do is tease me..." She pouts, hardly startled when You hugs her.

"Don't be like that! Aren't we friends?" You holds back a laugh at the sight of Yoshiko's cheeks getting progressively redder. "Besides, I'd tell you about my crush if I get one."

"...I guess so," Yoshiko sighs, "do you have one?"

"A crush?" Seeing Yoshiko nod, You shrugs. "Not really."

"Seriously?" The older girl seems surprised, before speaking in a lower tone. "...are you straight?"

"What?! Of course not."

"But everyone in Uranohoshi is cute," Yoshiko says, "how can you not have a crush on any of them?"

"I-I just don't. You like Dia and Chika for more reasons than them being cute. It's like that for me."

Yoshiko seems understanding, resting her head against the window as they begin to move towards their destination. Then, she chuckles.

"You'll have to find a crush this year or the next one." When You looks at her, confusion evident in her expression, Yoshiko's smirk grows wider.

"Because, you know. When you're a third-year, your complex is going to make it hard for you to find a younger girl."

"...I don't have a complex." You pouts.

"Of course you don't." Yoshiko seems to be enjoying the payback; she's had enough of You's teasing. But she seemingly decides to change the subject. "Did you know that my fallen angel powers allow me to predict the future?"

"Oh?" You doesn't buy it, but she plays along. It's better than relentless teasing.

"Exactly." She closes her eyes and You admits that if she didn't know better, she would think that Yoshiko was actually thinking. "...I see a vision." She eventually says.

"What do you see?" Yoshiko grins and points a finger at You, which tells her that she made a mistake by trusting Yoshiko,

"You're going to end up dating an upperclassman!"

"Mou, Yoshiko-chan! Stop talking about my complex!"

"So you admit that you _do_ have one?" Yoshiko is practically cackling now, attracting the eyes of curious passengers and making You want to sink into her seat.

The rest of the journey to school was spent with the two teasing each other. When they finally get off in front of Uranohoshi, mercifully dodging the gazes of passengers who had definitely been listening to them, they both sigh in relief. On one hand, that was the most embarrassing bus ride either of them has experienced, but on the other, it's refreshing to be able to joke around like that. It reminds her of middle school when she'd do the same with Chika.

At the realization, You stops in her tracks. Did she just replace Chika with Yoshiko? Chika, her childhood friend since birth, the reason she began swimming, the reason she's somewhat interested in idols, the person who helped her realize that she's gay, _the reason she is the way she is today._ She knows that they're not as close as they were before, but she didn't realize it was so bad to the point that she hasn't even had the chance to talk with Chika alone.

You wants to have more friends, but not at the cost of her old ones.

Yoshiko, upon realizing that You is no longer walking with her, stops and looks back. "You?" She asks, mild concern lacing her tone, "are you okay?"

Having been shaken out of her thoughts, You laughs and smiles. "Yeah. I was just hoping that you can make up with Chika-chan and Dia-chan soon."

Yoshiko laughs a bit as well, saying in a small voice, "Yeah, I hope so too." The two walk together again until they go inside the school building, where Yoshiko asks, Where should we meet up after school?"

"What about the cafeteria?"

"That'll work." Satisfied, she waves as they walk in opposite directions, Yoshiko to the second-year classrooms and You to the first-year one. It's still mostly empty other than a few students, one of which is Ruby. She's tired, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes while focusing on her phone. You can imagine Dia having to drag her to school early in the morning. Not even Hanamaru's here, making this one of the rare times she can talk to the redhead without distractions.

"Ruby-chan, good morning!" She salutes. Ruby, who'd normally be startled by and loud noises, seems too tired even for that. She just looks up and returns the greeting.

"You-chan...good morning." She mumbles tiredly.

"Are you okay? You look out of it today, no offense." She places her bag on her own desk before going back to Ruby, sitting down in the chair that would normally be Hanamaru's.

"Uhm, really?" The smaller girl looks a bit embarrassed at the statement. "I hope the teachers don't realize...I'm trying to hide it."

"Well, it's not a bad job." The makeup Ruby is using hides any signs of fatigue, and otherwise, she looks normal. But You, who has become victim to extreme exhaustion multiple times in the past, can sense Ruby's unfocused gaze, too-calm breathing, and lack of energy. "So, why are you tired?"

"My sister wanted to watch μ's lives...something about choreography." Ruby yawns. "I decided to watch it with her...we ended up watching all of their concerts."

"All of them? That's hardcore..." You is amazed at how far they're going just to get ready for the performance. Only Chika didn't spend much time doing research, but if Dia likes the lyrics Chika spent only a few hours making then they must be really good. "So you like idols too?"

"I love them!" Ruby suddenly exclaims, before blushing and covering her mouth with her hands when she realizes that she had just shouted. "I-I love them a lot. Maybe not as much as my sister, but I know about all kinds of school idols." Then, as if she became a different person, Ruby smirks at You. "...do you want to test my knowledge?"

You shakes her head, feeling a bit disappointed as Ruby pouts and goes back to her shy self. It seems that the girl who normally lacks confidence has an abundance of it when it comes to school idols. "To be honest, I don't really know a lot about idols. I only know about μ's."

"Oh?" Ruby's confident attitude seems to be returning. "There's a lot of interesting stuff about μ's."

"Yeah!" You smiles, glad that she can at least talk about the subject for a bit. "Oh, yesterday I was hanging out with Yoshiko-chan and we were messing around, and we found out about their first performance. I think it's amazing that they were able to go from that to Love Live champions!"

"Oh, do you hang out with Yoshiko-san a lot?" Ruby asks curiously. The sudden subject change is slightly jarring, but You answers anyway.

"Kinda. We've hung out more than most people do, and we've only known each other for a few days."

"Oh." Ruby nods. "That's nice. She's my sister's close friend, so I kinda know her."

"So you also know Chika-chan?"

"Yes. And Kanan-san. My sister and I don't really have many close friends, so not a lot of people visit our home. It's why I know all of her friends, and she also knows Hanamaru-chan."

"Are you two talking about me?" You jumps in her seat as she hears the voice beside her. Facing the source, she sees Hanamaru smiling smugly after surprising her.

"No, we weren't." You says, standing up to let Hanamaru sit down. "We were just talking about idols. Nothing big, you know." Hanamaru then rummages into her bag and pulls out a magazine. When she places it face up on her desk, You can see that it's a magazine featuring an idol group that she's unfamiliar with. Ruby immediately perks up, recognizing the students on the cover.

"A-RISE!" She exclaims, opening the magazine without a moment's hesitation. "Hanamaru-chan, where did you find this?"

Hanamaru looks even more smug now as she watches her best friend going through the magazine. "I found it when I was shopping for more books yesterday, zura. I thought you'd like it, so I bought it for you." She answers, before letting out a yelp as the redhead suddenly lunges at her, hugging her tightly.

"Thanks a lot, Hanamaru-chan!" Ruby exclaims, maintaining the embrace for a good few seconds. In that short period of time, You sees Hanamaru's cheeks coloring, but You's snicker is quickly silenced by a glare aimed at her. When Ruby finally pulls away and goes back to the magazine, she begins talking about it in great detail.

"This is a special issue celebrating Love Live's recent anniversary." Ruby explains, "The organizers collaborate with a lot of different magazines, and each releases a special issue featuring a winner from one of the competitions. For example, this one features the first winners, A-RISE. A different one features μ's."

Hanamaru seems crestfallen. "Your favorite is μ's, right? Ahhh, Maru messed up, zura..."

"N-no, it's fine!" Ruby attempts to salvage her friend's mood. "I also like A-RISE! A-and my sister is probably going to buy the μ's edition anyway, so this'll complete our collection! You didn't mess up at all."

"Really?" The brown-haired girl seems a little happier, although she seems aware that Ruby is saying that just to cheer her up. "Thanks, Ruby-chan. Maru'll take you to the bookstore and let you pick out another magazine next time."

Ruby shakes her head frantically. "You don't have to do that! If anything, I should be the one buying you something, since I haven't even gotten you anything."

As the pair continue arguing about who should be treating who, You is painfully aware that she's not really involved in this conversation. After giving them an excuse about needing to finish her homework, she steps away from the pair and goes back to her own seat. But before she can actually get some work done, the intercom suddenly bursts to life.

" _Hello?_ " Kanan's voice, although a bit distorted, distracts the students in the class from whatever they were doing. " _Good morning, students of Uranohoshi. This is your student council president, Matsuura Kanan speaking. Before any formal activities begin, I would like to make a formal announcement._ "

The sound of papers being shuffled in the background is heard before Kanan continues. " _As of today, the student council is proud to announce that the president of the next generation has been decided. I personally would like to congratulate Kurosawa Dia of Class 2-B for showing determination, a strong will, and an excellent work ethic. Unfortunately, the vice-president has not yet been selected, but will have been decided by the time they officially take over their responsibilities._ "

Ruby seems excited at the announcement, clapping when Kanan stops for a breather. You does as well, albeit quieter; if she had to pick someone to fill that role, there's no doubt in her mind that she would pick Dia.

" _To help new students who might not be familiar with Kurosawa-san, we will be holding a program every few days. Through the intercom, we will occasionally ask her questions about her goals, as well as more general information about herself. Anyone with a question is allowed to submit it by putting it into the box now located outside of the student council room. And now, a word from Kurosawa Dia herself. Go ahead."_ A few seconds of silence follow, with the other students in the classroom chattering excitedly. Some are disappointed that they won't be seeing much of the 'hot student council president' anymore, but change is always interesting in a place like Uchiura. In You's opinion, Kanan and Dia couldn't be more different.

" _Good morning, everyone_." Kanan's voice is replaced by Dia's, drawing everyone's focus back to the sound. " _I'm Kurosawa Dia. It's a pleasure to-_ " Dia stops, and You can faintly hear her and Kanan conversing. From what little she can hear clearly, it sounds like Kanan is sick.

" _Apologies for the interruption._ " Dia continues speaking after a few moments of silence. " _I'm Kurosawa Dia. It's a pleasure to have the chance to speak to all of you. I'll be in your care from now on._ " Just as abruptly as it began, the intercom buzzes before going silent.

The moment immediately after is probably the most active she's seen Ruby for anything other than idols.

"Sis!" The younger girl exclaims, standing up and walking in circles while almost everyone else talks among themselves, whether it be about the announcement or how weird it is that everyone is talking about the announcement. You and Hanamaru are watching Ruby as she paces around, her expression showing anxiety, panic, and happiness all at the same time. She seems distressed, even though she's probably the first person Dia talked to about wanting to be the student council president.

"I have to help her!" She says before dashing out of the room, with Hanamaru giving chase.

"Ruby-chan, wait!"

"H-hold on, class is..." You begins, only to realize they're too far away to hear her "...about to start."

Well, maybe Dia's new status will help them get out of trouble this time.

"Dia," Yoshiko greets when she sees the dark-haired girl walking into class, "I didn't expect you to be back so soon."

"I'm not supposed to," Dia opens her bag and searches for something, "Kanan isn't feeling well, so we've decided to cut it short today. I'm taking her to the infirmary." At her answer, Yoshiko tries to mask her feelings of jealousy. _Why does she care about how Kanan's feeling but she never asks me about how I'm feeling?_ "Oh, there it is." She pulls out a small container and takes something out of it; an influenza mask. "It's for Kanan." She answers when she notices Yoshiko's curious look.

"So," Chika interrupts, "you're going to be skipping class today?"

"I'm not _skipping,_ per say." Dia corrects, "I'll be accompanying Kanan while learning more about the student council. It's important. I've been given official permission, so the teachers know where I'll be."

"It must be nice being able to skip class." Chika sighs while ignoring Dia's fierce glare. "If only I was picked to be the student council president..."

"The student council would collapse in a matter of days," Dia states matter-of-factly, "You didn't even apply for that role. I was the only one who signed up."

"Really?" Yoshiko knows that she shouldn't say anything, that she should just stay quiet. Of course, her big mouth doesn't agree. "So...you just got the job handed to you without doing anything? I thought you didn't like getting freebies."

If looks could kill, Dia would be charged with manslaughter. "This is different. They already know that I'm the best person for the job."

"How humble," Yoshiko replies sarcastically, "but it doesn't change the fact that you got the role without any competition."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess you wouldn't understand. I don't think anyone would ever trust you with a something like that." Dia's insult strikes a nerve. Noticing the rising tension, Chika awkwardly laughs while stepping in between them.

"Dia, didn't you say that you're going to take Kanan to the infirmary? You should do that." They watch as Dia frowns, then turns around and walks out of the classroom. Chika looks at Yoshiko, as if asking her 'what was that?'.

"I was just joking," Yoshiko mutters, "stupid Dia taking everything seriously..."

"Well, it's Dia. She takes everything seriously." Chika sighs, going back to her seat. "But it's kinda lonely without her."

"I guess so..." Yoshiko might not want to admit it, but she does enjoy the other girl's presence even without considering her stupid crush. "But she'll be busy with student council duties for a while, so we'll just have to live without her."

"That's no good! We need to find someone else to hang out with."

"Like who?" Yoshiko asks, wondering who else would willingly subject themselves to their insanity.

"What about Riko-chan?" From her peripheral vision, Yoshiko sees said girl tensing up at the sound of her name, before continuing to distract herself with her book that had been on the same page for the past few minutes.

"Sakurauchi-san? Isn't she a bit too formal?" One thing Yoshiko knows after frequent visits to Tokyo is that it's far too big. Unlike Uchiura or even Numazu, where everyone knows each other, people there are polite and formal, almost artificially so.

"Yeah, just like Dia-chan!" Chika answers excitedly.

"Chika..." Yoshiko stops to consider this new information "...you're right. She'll be perfect." With oddly wide grins on their faces, they stand up and approach their target, who's sweating bullets at the sight of the two getting closer and closer. When they're close enough, Riko closes her book and directs her attention to her two classmates, trying not to show her nervousness.

"T-Takami-san. Tsushima-san. How are you two?" She greets politely, proving Yoshiko's theory correct.

"Just Chika and Yoshiko's fine," Chika says, the grin never leaving her face. While she distracts Riko with small talk, Yoshiko's gaze wanders to the book on her desk. It's plain with an orange cover similar to the notebooks Chika has. However, there's a small gap in between the pages, and she can see something sticking out. _Is she hiding something?_

Slowly reaching towards the book, Yoshiko opens it to the last page read by Riko. She's able to get a glimpse of something like a book before Riko notices and slams the book shut, barely missing Yoshiko's fingers. "Y-you can't look at that!" She takes the notebook and clutches it to her chest. "I have to go!"

Chika can only look on as Riko runs out of class with the book in hand. "...I think you scared her."

"Yeah, I think I did."

The rest of the school day was uneventful, to say the least. You rejected Chika and Yoshiko's offer to have lunch together in favor of having it with Ruby and Hanamaru, the pair accepting You's request although Hanamaru with more reluctance. She'd like to believe that they all became closer by the end of it, and they invited her to have lunch again sometime. And even better, it wasn't Ruby who asked her, but Hanamaru!

You can't hide her happiness as she packs her belongings into her bag. Ruby and Hanamaru have left already, saying something about how no one is at Ruby's house and that she'd get scared if she's alone for too long. She's curious about Ruby's house. Is it modern or traditional? How big is it? Does she have a garden, or maybe a swimming pool? She'll have to check when she comes over to play. Or study _._ She reminds herself that she asked Dia to tutor her, and Dia isn't someone who forgets something like that.

Once out of class, it takes her a few minutes to get to the cafeteria. There, she sees Yoshiko at one of the tables, drinking something that seems to be chocolate. The girl looks up and waves when she sees You, offering the seat next to her that You accepts.

"So, are we heading out now?"

"Not yet, we have to think about where we're going," Yoshiko says, playing with the straw of her drink. "Since you've done this before, you know where to buy the stuff we need, right?"

"Of course!" You answers proudly. "There's a shop in the middle of Numazu that sells all kinds of fabric and accessories like hairpins or ribbons. We can get everything we need from there."

"Excellent. As expected from one of my little demons." Yoshiko chuckles, but it's hard to take her seriously when she's loudly sipping on her drink. "Just let me finish and we'll be on our way."

"I kinda want one too...hold on." Standing up, she goes to buy a drink for herself. From all of the choices, strawberry juice seems the most appealing to her. After a brief wait, money exchanges hands and she takes the glass of freshly made juice before returning to the table. Yoshiko's looking up something on her phone, showing it when You sits down. "Is this the place you were talking about?" You checks the name of the store.

"Yeah, that's the one." Yoshiko then tries to find directions. To their relief, it's not too far from the bus stop, which is on the same route as their usual one. It seems like the shopping trip isn't going to take very long after all.

However, when they finish their respective drinks and walk towards the entrance of the building, they see that the weather has changed. In direct contrast to the clear skies and the warm sun shining just a few hours ago...

"It's raining." Yoshiko frowns, watching the heavy downpour with a sad expression.

"They said that it would be sunny all day." You opens her bag, sighing as she confirms her worst fear. She didn't bring an umbrella with her.

"No umbrella?" Yoshiko asks, looking even more guilty. "Sorry. I...I have really bad luck. It always rains when I'm trying to plan something. I should've warned you."

"It's not your fault." You closes her bag again. "...then I guess we can't do anything about the outfits, can we?"

"Guess not. Looks like we'll have to use something from your collection." The two make it to the bus stop, waiting longer than usual before the bus shows up. Yoshiko still looks dejected, so You tries to cheer her up.

"I'm sure Dia-chan and Chika-chan will understand."

"It's just...frustrating." Yoshiko answers softly, staring blankly at her lap while the bus continues moving. "I really wanted to do this. Not just for me, but for Chika and Dia and you."

You has no answer for such a statement. She understands Yoshiko's disappointment at failed plans, and it's worse when it affects other people.

"I might have some fabric left over." You offers. "It might be enough for one outfit. If you show them a proof of concept tomorrow, I'm sure that'll be enough to satisfy them."

"Maybe Chika. Not Dia." With nothing else to talk about, Yoshiko pulls out her phone to play a game, which You decides not to interrupt.

After a long wait, they arrive at the bus stop near their houses. You stands up and begins heading out, only to realize that her companion is still seated.

"Yoshiko-chan?" No response, although she's obviously awake. "Come on, this is our stop."

Slowly, Yoshiko shakes her head, and You knows that whatever happens next won't be good. "I've...been thinking. I'm going to buy the fabric. I have to."

"You'll get sick."

"I'll be fine by the time of the performance. I'm already used to getting colds."

"You're...not joking." Another shake of her head, and You walks back to their seat. "I'm coming with you."

"No." She stares directly at You, her expression serious. "You'll get sick."

"I don't care."

"You..." Her expression softens, "Please just let me do this. I don't want to drag you into this. I'm already enough of a burden by making you help me sew these things, I can't let you get sick too."

"What if I want to help you?"

Yoshiko's expression hardens once again. "I don't want to push you out of the bus, since you could slip and that's dangerous. But if it means that you won't risk yourself for my sake, I'll do it." Yoshiko sighs. "Please. I care for you. I don't want you to get sick because of my stupid decision. I'll be at your house before you know it, I'll be fine."

The other passengers are staring at them. Even the driver, who's waiting for You to make up her mind before moving again. She looks back at Yoshiko's determined look before making up her mind.

"Fine." She says, "Don't make me wait for too long."

"I won't." With that, You walks out of the bus. The door closes with Yoshiko inside, and You can only watch as she leaves her friend to the consequences of her choice.

In hindsight, You thinks that this is the moment everything went south.


	10. Preparation

**Disclaimer: I know pretty much nothing about sewing. Also, this chapter is still filled with YouHane bonding.**

 _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

The sound of the clock continues to grate on You's ears as she waits silently in the living room. On the table is a towel and a pair of clothes she thinks would fit Yoshiko. Her eyes go from the items to the front door. It had been a while since Yoshiko went to buy the materials for the costume, and You hadn't heard from her since. The rain's still coming down hard.

Fortunately, You won't have to wait much longer. Breaking through the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, she hears a knock on the door and opens it without hesitation. Standing in front of her is Yoshiko, drenched from the feet up. She's clutching her bag tightly in front of her, protecting it from getting too wet. Conveniently, it also covers the front of her uniform, which You doesn't doubt is at least semi-transparent thanks to the rain.

"I-I'm b-back." She says, visibly shivering as she steps into the house, kicking off her shoes before taking off her socks as well. "G-got the fabric..."

"That's not important right now!" When she finishes taking off her footwear and goes into the living room (You made sure to turn up the heater), she takes the towel and clothes and gives them to the soaked girl. "You'll really get a cold at this rate. Go take a shower and get changed. Use the bathroom."

Despite her stutter, Yoshiko is able to laugh at the statement. "A-a bit too late for that, I think..." Regardless, she takes the items gratefully, handing her bag to You. You makes sure to respectfully avert her gaze as she leads Yoshiko to the bathroom. She then places the bag in her bedroom before going to the kitchen, preparing a warm bowl of soup and a cup of tea for Yoshiko.

 _Seriously, how reckless can you be?_ It doesn't make sense. Chika is normally cheerful, so it doesn't take a lot to make her happy, but why does Yoshiko try so hard to please Dia? Risking sickness for someone who's not her family is something You would think twice about before doing, but Yoshiko just did it. The only time she ever did something similar was when she got sick from playing in the rain. But she was 6 at the time. She was younger and dumber. And rather than getting sick _for_ Chika and Kanan, she got sick _with_ them. They all got sick from playing together, which invoked feelings of friendship and unity. It's different than getting rained on alone for someone who might not even know how much effort she put in, like Yoshiko did.

As You thinks about it, she arrives at a different conclusion. Maybe this is what love does to people? If so, You thinks that she might not want to fall in love if it means getting sick and making her friends worry so much about her well-being. Maybe she just doesn't get the appeal. The way Yoshiko seems happier when she talks about her crush makes her want to know what it's like.

Once the soup and tea are ready, she puts a serving of each on a tray before returning to the bedroom, waiting again for Yoshiko to finish her bath. While she waits, she redirects her attention to Yoshiko's soaked bag. She noticed that rather than using it to cover her head like a sane person would do, Yoshiko seemed to be trying to keep it dry. Which meant that either Yoshiko _isn't_ sane (probable), or it has something really important inside.

"Hey, You!" She hears a shout from the bathroom, pulling her attention away from the bag. "Get your sewing kit ready, I'll be out in a bit."

"Sure!" She shouts back, before opening her drawer and pulling out all of the necessities. Two pairs of scissors, a pincushion with a few dozen pins, measuring tools, a few marking pens, some needles, colored threads, seam rippers, and a sewing machine. As she looks at the items laid out in front of her, she feels a wave of uncertainty. She can't shake off the feeling that she's missing something important, but she can't put her _finger_ on it.

"You? Are you ready?" Yoshiko walks into her bedroom with a plastic bag that she assumes contains her uniform, and now that You can hear her it's pretty obvious that she doesn't feel well. A look is all she needs to confirm her suspicion. Yoshiko's nose is bright red, and it even looks a bit runny. At least You's clothes, a blue t-shirt and a black skirt, is keeping her dry now.

"Yoshiko-chan..." Sighing, You takes an emergency influenza mask from her desk and offers it to Yoshiko. First Kanan, and now Yoshiko. Looks like everyone's getting sick today. Yoshiko, embarrassed, takes the mask and puts it on.

"Sorry. Don't want to get you sick too." She laughs before coughing, causing You to flinch. That sounds pretty bad. "So, are we going to get sewing? I don't think I even know what most of these are..."

You nods, pulling out her phone to check the designs. While she does that, Yoshiko opens her bag and pulls out a plastic bag, then pulls something else out of the plastic. The materials. "Do you think this will be enough?"

You looks at everything she bought. Yoshiko is pretty good at judging the exact amount of fabric they would need to make the costumes, but that's not a very good thing. As it stands, even though it looks like she bought extra, they won't have enough to make more than one of each design before running out.

On the other hand, they have an abundance of accessories. Gloves, ribbons, hairpins. Anything they'd need to improve the outfits, it's there. They have room for creativity, which You is grateful for.

"Alright, so obviously we need to know what we're going to make." She places her phone on the floor in front of them, showing a zoomed-in picture of the design. "We also need measurements. Do you have them?"

"Y-yeah, I do. Hold on." Fumbling with her phone, she opens a note and hands it to You. "They made a few requests."

"Thanks." You reads the note, making sure she remembers each specific request. Dia wants her skirt a few inches longer, which is understandable, while Chika wants mikans incorporated into the outfit. Yoshiko herself asked for nothing. "Alright then. Which outfit should we start with first?"

"I want to make my own outfit, so let's start with the others."

"Chika's," You says. It'll be easier for her, considering she's made outfits for her before. "Alright. Chika's is...orange."

"Mikan-colored." Yoshiko corrects, "She said she didn't want it to be orange, but mikan-colored. So I had to compare it with an actual mikan."

"Well, at least that matches her request." You sighs softly. "Then, I suggest washing it first. While you're at it, you should wash your uniform."

"Got it, got it. I'll be right back." The girl picks up the fabrics and her uniform before going out of the room.

"Do you even know where the washing machine is?" You shouts but doesn't follow her. Yoshiko might've seen it when she went out of the bathroom. Now alone, You opens her closet for a change of clothes. With how concerned she was, she forgot to change out of her uniform. She decides on a green shirt and a pair of white shorts, setting them aside before taking off her uniform. It was fine until she heard a creak coming from the door, just as she's about to put on her shorts.

"I just put the clothes-", which is followed by a slam from the door being closed. You finishes putting on her clothes before opening the door, letting Yoshiko in who seems completely nonchalant about what happened.

"You could've knocked." You mumbles flatly. Yoshiko shrugs.

"You could've locked the door."

"You're saying that like it's my fault!"

"Well, I didn't mind," Yoshiko says before stopping, realizing what she said. "U-unless you're uncomfortable with that. In that case, I'm sorry."

"...it's fine." She answers upon noticing Yoshiko's dejected expression. "I guess I'm just not ready? For someone else to see me in just my underwear."

"You went to the middle school in Numazu, didn't you?" You nods, and Yoshiko hums thoughtfully. "Right. It's co-ed, so I guess you changed in a bathroom stall. Hate to break it to you, but even if you do that in Uranohoshi, you'll still be getting an eyeful of everyone else."

"And everyone's okay with that?"

"Kinda. Most of us are gay, but it's not like we're ogling each other. It gets boring seeing the same people changing every week for a year, so it's kind of like...what's the visual version of 'white noise'? Whatever that is."

She sits on the bed, getting comfortable before continuing. "So, the clothes are being washed. I think we have some time to burn, so let's do something."

You motions towards the tray on the table. "You should eat. It'll help with your cold."

Yoshiko eagerly takes the cup of tea, taking a sip of it while You watches. "...thanks." She says, placing the cup down before moving towards the bowl of soup, beginning to eat. "While I'm eating, why don't we talk?"

"Didn't your parents tell you that it's not polite to talk while eating?" Yoshiko shrugs as she continues eating, not seeming to care. "...I guess it can't hurt."

"Awesome!" Yoshiko seems pumped up, already thinking of what to talk about. "Oh, I'm curious. Dia mentioned that you're in the swimming club."

"Well, technically I haven't done any practices, but Kanan signed me up, so yeah."

"Cool. Are you good at it?"

You blushes, not wanting to sound like she's bragging. "Kinda. I was a pretty good diver in middle school, but the competition evolves quickly."

"That's so cool!" Yoshiko says, impressed. "So you like swimming. What else do you do for fun?"

You thinks of what else she likes spending her time on, but doesn't find anything interesting. "Not a lot. Oh, I like taking pictures. Nothing professional, but they can be pretty good inspiration when I'm thinking of an idea."

"Huh. Not exactly the same, but I know a little bit about photography. Lighting, angle, things like that."

"You like photography?"

"No, I stream online." Her interest piqued, You asks her to explain. "Nothing impressive. I just sometimes...you know, as Yohane. People like that, and I like it too. It's fun."

"Do you mind sharing your stream?" You opens the browser app on her phone

"It's so embarrassing though," she says, but ends up telling You her username anyway. "It's 'Datenshi Yohane'. Katakana for 'Yohane' and kanji for the rest."

Typing in the name in the search bar, You asks another question as the results load. "You write Yohane with katakana?"

"W-well, I like it! It's cooler like that. A softer writing simply wouldn't fit a fallen angel of my caliber."

"Yohane is a big softie inside, though!" You smirks as Yoshiko's face gets progressively redder. "Right? Yohane is a 'good girl'."

"Shut up! Yohane is not soft." The girl grumbles as You goes back to her phone, checking out the search results. She finds out that Yoshiko has a surprisingly large fan base in the community.

"Maybe I'll check it out the next time you stream." She says, causing Yoshiko to perk up.

"Really? Then, I'll send you a text when I'm about to start the next one." She seems enthusiastic to share her interests, which You admits is kinda cute. If only her interests weren't so hard to explain in public.

"Well, I think that's enough." You bookmarks the page before closing the browser. "Finish your food, then we'll check if the fabric's done." Yoshiko immediately starts whining.

"We barely even talked! Come on, You, there's no harm in getting to know each other."

You frowns. "It's not that. You're still sick, you know. I'm worried about you. If you stay up too late, you'll be in even worse shape tomorrow."

"Right, right. I get it." Yoshiko continues eating, alternating spoonfuls of soup with tea until she's finally done.

"See? You look better already!" You is pleased when she sees some color returning to Yoshiko's features. Then she sneezes. "Well, still not good. But better. You'll be good to go by tomorrow. Either way, let's check the fabric."

Yoshiko sighs, reluctantly standing up. "It hasn't really been that long. Are you sure they're done?"

"It doesn't take long. Usually." Walking out of the room with Yoshiko, she feels a sense of doubt when Yoshiko sneezes loudly. "Are you sure you'll be alright staying up sewing?"

"Of course I will. It's like the title of that song...'if you love it, it's alright'." She sounds serious in spite of You's confusion, like she's supposed to get that reference.

"I don't think I get what you're saying."

"Come on, take a guess." Yoshiko beams at You.

"Is it a new song I haven't heard yet?"

"It's the title of _our_ new song!" She exclaims proudly. "I've read the lyrics, and they're really good. It's gonna be a knockout, I guarantee more people will join the club after we sing."

"At least one person will, if the song is as good as you say. I did promise, didn't I?"

"And that means a lot to us," Yoshiko says as they walk in front of the washing machine, turning it off. "Even now, I bet we wouldn't be able to do it without you."

"That's sweet, but I'm not doing much. You can just pay someone else to do the job if you really have to."

"We don't have a budget though. I'm serious, having you help is massive." Yoshiko waits for it to stop completely before opening it and grabbing the materials and her uniform. "We should dry them first, right?"

"That's right." You answers, helping Yoshiko with the newly-cleaned clothes. "I think they end up better if you dry them naturally, but since we're in a hurry, just put them in the dryer."

"Dryer. Got it." Yoshiko moves towards the machine beside the previous one, shoving the clothes into it before turning it on. "This is so boring...I wish we can do something else."

"Once we start sewing, we won't be resting anytime soon, so do that now." With the machine working and nothing else for them to do, You decides for small-talk. "...I noticed that you weren't with Chika or Dia this afternoon. Did something happen?" She doesn't think that they wouldn't fight only a few days before the live, but she wouldn't have put it past them. Luckily, Yoshiko denies it.

"It's nothing like that. Chika's sisters needed some help, so she went home early. And when I talked to Dia, she said that she had to go home too. So we're okay, I think."

"Oh, thank god." You laughs, relieved. Since it's just after the holiday rush, there has to be a lot of chores that needs to be done, so maybe Chika was asked to help. That makes sense. As for Dia, she's probably helping Ruby with her homework. Ruby gets startled easily, so having someone else around would help her focus. With both Dia and Hanamaru accompanying her, she shouldn't get scared.

 _Wait. Something's not right_.

"I don't think Dia's at her house," You says, "Ruby went home early today with Hanamaru because no one else is at the house. I don't think Ruby would lie about that."

"Oh." Yoshiko seems depressed at the answer. "Then, I guess Dia's avoiding me now. Maybe we're not okay after all."

"I don't think that's true." You says, even if it's just to stop Yoshiko's mood from dropping any further. "Maybe Dia's busy, but she can't tell you what's going on."

"That means she doesn't trust me. Doesn't make me feel much better, You."

"Then just ask her." At Yoshiko's curious stare, she elaborates. "Just say that you're worried about her and ask her what's wrong. The worst that can happen is that she'll say that she's fine. If you're lucky, you might find out what's bothering her."

"W-what? But I'm not that worried about her..." She mutters before averting her gaze.

"Yoshiko-chan,"

"Yohane!" Yoshiko interrupts.

"Yohane-chan," You says softly, like an older sister giving advice, "You're sad that Dia-chan lied to you, right?" Yoshiko nods quickly. "Then don't you think it's only fair that you should be honest? There's nothing wrong with saying you're worried."

She concedes, "I guess I am worried about her. Just a bit." Well, it's progress. As they wait for the clothes to finish drying, You feels a vibration coming from her phone. Checking it, she sees a text from her mom.

' _your father and I will be home late. have dinner without us.'_

"Yo...hane-chan, do you want anything to eat?"

Yoshiko seems surprised that You called her Yohane, silent for a long moment before asking, "Do you have any leftovers from yesterday?"

"Yeah, I think we do. Just let me heat it up." Standing up, You goes to the kitchen, taking the steak from the fridge to heat up. She pours some sauce onto it before tossing it in the oven, preparing some rice while it's heating. As she waits, she takes her phone and sends a message to Ruby, asking her whether or not Dia is with her. She replies ten minutes later, a 'no' confirming her thoughts. Somewhere in her mind, she hoped that it was just miscommunication, but now there's confirmation that Dia had lied to Yoshiko.

 _Why would Dia do that?_ You ponders the question for a few minutes, until the food is finished and she has to think about something else. Without knowing much, she can't really think of a good reason. But she doesn't think Dia would lie for no reason, either. She'll just have to wait for tomorrow, and that's only if Yoshiko can find out.

Plating a portion of rice and steak on two plates, she places both on a tray along with a bottle of chili sauce for balancing, she goes back to where Yoshiko is waiting, handing one of the plates to her.

"Thanks." She smiles as she takes the food along with the sauce, and it takes You everything she has to not judge her friend for the copious amounts of chili sauce she's using. "This is some good stuff. Can you give me the recipe some time? I want to eat this at home, too."

"Yohane-chan, you can cook?" You asks, wondering if she also enjoys cooking.

"No. I was going to give it to my mom." Oh. You's expression must've reflected her thoughts, as Yoshiko continues. "Don't look so disappointed at me. More importantly, you can cook?"

"Yeah. Kinda." You replies, "I make my own breakfast. Sometimes my own dinner, too. I like cooking."

"Woah, that's amazing. You'd make a great housewife," Yoshiko says offhandedly.

"Is that a-"

"A compliment."

You nods, taking a bite of food as she mulls over her response. She really doesn't think so. Her competitive spirit runs in her blood, and tossing that away for a more mundane life doesn't sound very appealing.

"...like Chika."

"Huh?" You asks, causing Yoshiko to shove spoonfuls of food into her mouth to stop her from talking. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing." She says between spoonfuls.

"No, I heard you say 'like Chika'. What do you mean?"

Embarrassed, Yoshiko swallows the food in her mouth before saying anything. "I-it's nothing. I just thought that Chika would make a great housewife too. Since she works at the inn and everything."

You grins at her friend's shy expression. "Yohane-chan, you really are super gay for her."

"Don't just say it like that!"

Amused, You takes another bite as she asks, "Why the change? You weren't this...extreme yesterday."

Yoshiko shrugs. "I guess it's just a bit nerve-wracking. I keep thinking about these outfits, so I keep thinking about them. What if they don't like it, stuff like that. I'll probably be a nervous wreck tomorrow." She sighs quietly. "I've never really made anything for them, not even for their birthdays. So it's like, if you buy someone something and they don't like it, it's a bit sad but whatever. But if you make them something and they don't like it, it feels a lot more personal. That's what I think."

"I totally get what you mean." You gives an encouraging smile. "I always make scarves and mittens and things like that for my family, Chika, and Kanan. So I'm always nervous when I give it to them. But trust me, if you put your heart into making something, they'll love it even if it's not the best."

"Right, but you can actually sew." She laughs. "But I guess you have to start from somewhere."

"That's the spirit!" Checking the dryer, You guesses that the fabric must be done drying by now. "Let's finish eating, then we can start working."

"Aye aye." Yoshiko gives a mock salute, and You bursts out laughing at how ridiculous it is. Yoshiko pouts dramatically, taking offense before returning to shoveling food into her mouth. You follows suit, and it isn't long until their plates are empty. You offers to take the dirty plates while Yoshiko readies the fabric for sewing, going into You's room with them in hand. Once they're all laid out in front of her, You runs back into the room and smiles.

"Well, let's get sewing!"

After half an hour of sewing, Yoshiko really wishes she can go to sleep. In her hands is Dia's barely-finished outfit, with Chika's completed one to her side as an example. Since tomorrow is a school day, You decided to get some rest, but not before telling Yoshiko to wake her up if she needs help. Yoshiko, on the other hand, chose to push through her weariness. With more caution than she would exhibit any other day, Yoshiko pushes the thin needle through the fabric, connecting another part of the outfit.

As Yoshiko thinks about it, sewing is kind of like a puzzle. She had to put together smaller parts into a bigger part until she ends up with something beautiful. But rather than just putting them together, she has to use a terrifyingly sharp needle to do it, and precision is required. Maybe people wouldn't care much if the ribbon on the back of the outfit was slightly off-center, but some screw-ups can jeopardize the entire show. Messing up while sewing on the buttons might cause them to come off during the live, which would surely ruin the show and get Yoshiko murdered by Dia. The outfit is also kept in place by the shoulder straps and collar, which makes errors around those areas fatal. Luckily, everyone can try the outfits tomorrow and make sure no malfunctions will occur.

Yoshiko puts down the sewing tools before sneezing, then picks them back up and continues like nothing happened. Her coughs and sneezes are becoming more frequent as it becomes later in the night, like her body is telling her to cut it out and go to sleep. She ignores it, only stopping briefly to sneeze or get some water before going back to sewing. Her eyelids become progressively heavier, but it's nothing a splash of cold water can't fix.

As Yoshiko begins sewing on the collar, she struggles to push the needle through the thicker fabric. Maybe the needle isn't as sharp after repeated use. "Come on...get through." She mutters, using her thumb to push hard on the needle, helping it go through the fabric. It eventually goes through, but hits something else along the way.

You is awakened by a loud scream. Sitting up on her bed, she faces Yoshiko to find the cause. "What was that?"

"It's nothing." She mutters, staring at the outfit in front of her so she doesn't have to face You.

"Yohane-chan, what is it?" You gets up from the bed, moving closer to Yoshiko. "Why did you scream?"

"I just...messed up a bit. Pushed a bit hard, no problem." As You stands over Yoshiko, the other girl finally relents, showing her hand. You gasps.

"You're bleeding."

"Y-yeah, I guess." You takes the sewing kit away from her, with Yoshiko showing only mild reluctance. "I'm fine, I can keep going."

"No, you can't." You answers as she examines the injury. It doesn't seem very deep, thankfully. "I think you can get away with just washing it. Maybe a band-aid if you're really concerned, but it should be fine."

"But...the outfit." You follows Yoshiko's gaze towards the red stain on the front of Dia's outfit. "I ruined it."

"Outfits don't get hurt." You states simply. "You're sick and I bet you're tired, too. If you keep sewing, you'll be sick and won't even be able to come in tomorrow, which means you'll be skipping practice. Think about it. Which is better? The outfits being a day late but still there for the performance, or you not knowing what you're doing?"

Yoshiko seems quiet, staring at the outfit in her hands. "I guess...the first one."

"Exactly." Smiling, You takes the unfinished outfit and places it to the side with Chika's. "You don't even have to do much. Just add a few finishing touches to this one and then we can do yours, and they'll be ready to go! We might need to cover up the stain though...or don't. Dia's color _is_ red after all."

Yoshiko laughs, putting the rest of the unused materials into her bag. "No way, do you want it to look like she just killed someone?"

"I'm just joking!" The two finish tidying up, You putting the sewing kit back into her drawer while Yoshiko takes both the finished outfit and unfinished outfit with her. "It's getting pretty late, though. I can walk with you if you'd like."

"That will not be necessary. A fallen angel thrives in darkness." Yoshiko answers, pocketing her phone before standing up. "After all, you're tired as well. It would be unfit to ask my little demon for assistance."

"Little demon or not, it's not safe walking alone." You follows her towards the front door. "My dad's gonna be home soon. He can give you a ride."

"I'll be fine, You." She assures one last time as she puts on her shoes. Opening the door, she gives another salute, which You returns this time, before walking out. Looking through the peephole, she waits until Yoshiko is out of sight before locking the door and going back to her room.

 _Might as well sleep now_ , You thinks as she lays down on her bed, hoping to discard the feelings of worry blooming in her mind.


	11. Preparation, Part II

You wakes up the next morning and goes through her daily routine. Bathe, put on your uniform, make breakfast, then lock the house when you're about to leave. It's simple, but something like that helps ease her worries. Namely, whether or not Yoshiko is feeling better. Yesterday, Yoshiko seemed relatively okay for someone who had spent a lot of time in the rain with no umbrella, but her stubbornness to stay up and 'take responsibility' doesn't seem healthy in the slightest.

Thankfully, when You sees her waiting at the bus stop, she realizes her worries are unfounded. Yoshiko is on her phone like usual, without even a trace of unhealthiness. Maybe she's actually resistant to common colds after getting sick so often. That makes her laugh; her bad luck turns into good luck. "Yohane-chan!" At the sound, the second-year looks up to face You.

"Oh, there you are. I thought you'd be late."

"I thought _you'd_ be late." She says as she approaches Yoshiko, staring directly at her. No runny nose, no redness, no sign that she was even sick yesterday. Maybe a bit tired, at most. "How'd you recover so fast?"

"Of course. A fallen angel recovers her power with the support of her little demons. Yohane will not fall from an illness" She chuckles while You resists the urge to roll her eyes. At least she seems to be in a livelier mood today.

"You're welcome." She responds back, "So, you're gonna practice with Chika-chan and Dia-chan today?"

Yoshiko nods. "You can hang out with us when classes are done if you'd like. It'll be fun." You agrees that it'll definitely be more fun than sitting in class and third-wheeling Ruby and Hanamaru.

Their usual bus slows to a stop in front of them, letting them get on and take their usual spots. It would feel weird for them to sit anywhere else, now.

"So, did you bring the costume with you?" You asks, wanting to make sure that Yoshiko didn't forget to bring the finished one. She unzips her bag, showing Chika's folded outfit inside of it before zipping it up again.

"You bet. Dia would kill me if I didn't bring something." She suddenly pauses, frowning at a realization. "Actually, Dia might still kill me."

"You're over-exaggerating." You says, "It'll be fine."

"I'm being logical. You'll see." Yoshiko yawns loudly, "Wake me up when we get there. I'm taking a nap."

"Shouldn't have stayed up late." You mumbles to herself as she watches Yoshiko doze off, leaning her head against the window of the bus. With no one else to talk to, she can only sit in silence while thinking over a single question in her mind.

 _Is Dia really that serious?_

When they get off the bus, You can immediately tell that something is different. Although it doesn't take a genius to tell that, since everyone can read the gigantic banner at the front of the building. The banner itself states that there will be a special announcement today.

"...who the hell puts up a banner to announce that there's going to be an announcement?" Yoshiko asks as she reads the banner. "That's so dumb. But maybe it'll run long and some of our classes get cut. That'd be a big plus." As they walk towards the entrance, You overhears other students talking about it, and each theory is more unrealistic than the last. Some are even saying that the school is going to be shut down.

"We'll find out later, anyway." You says as they're about to part ways. "Text me where to meet up later?"

"Got it. See ya, You."

You happily walks towards her own class, watching as everyone seems abuzz with excitement. Inside the classroom, things aren't much different from outside of it, and even Ruby seems like she's getting swept up in everyone's enthusiasm, looking peppier than usual. You calls out to her. "Ruby-chan!" Once the redhead's attention is on her, she asks, "Do you know what's going on? Did Dia tell you?"

Ruby shakes her head. "Onee-chan left really early this morning. I haven't seen her today." That only makes You more curious.

"If she left early, then it's probably really important, huh?"

"P-probably. I think that's the only exp-" Ruby's interrupted by the intercom buzzing to life, followed by Kanan's voice.

" _Students of Uranohoshi. Please head to the auditorium immediately. Thank you."_ That's all Kanan said before the silence resumes, her becoming even more curious as her classmates stand up and begin walking to the auditorium.

"Zura?" asks a confused Hanamaru who just entered the class. "What's going on?"

"We have to go to the auditorium. Something important is gonna happen." You puts her bag on her desk before going to the auditorium with Ruby and Hanamaru.

 _Huh. This is_ _actually_ _pretty nice._ You thinks as she walks. The last time she went to the auditorium during the first day she was alone, but now she actually has close friends in her own year. Hopefully she'll have more by the end of the year.

As they enter the auditorium, they see that a lot of students are already seated. You can see Chika's orange hair and Yoshiko's bun in the second-year area, but there seems to be no sign of Dia. Kanan also isn't sitting with the other third-years. Instead, she's on stage, doing one last check of the equipment. You seats herself to the right of Ruby, while Hanamaru takes Ruby's left.

The rest of the students eventually file into the auditorium, with a few student council members trailing behind. They walk up to Kanan and seem to be telling her something. Kanan nods and walks towards the podium at the center of the stage, with two people standing beside her. One is someone she remembers seeing from the first day of school, the student council vice-president. The other is Dia, but she seems exhausted. She has dark circles in her eyes and seems more irritable than usual, intimidating even the other current student council member.

"What was Dia doing yesterday?" You asks Ruby, who seems distracted as well.

"Uhm, I think she went to Chika's house?"

"Chika's house, huh?" You wonders why she'd be there, looking back to the podium where Kanan begins speaking.

"Good morning, everyone." Kanan starts, waiting for everyone to quiet down. "I apologize for interrupting your daily schedule," not that anyone would mind not having to study, "I would like to make a very important announcement. Starting today...or, well, technically tomorrow, we have a new director for our school. Some current third-years may recognize her, but for the others, I would like to introduce Ohara Mari. Please step up to the stage."

The third-year section is going wild, shouting and cheering as a blonde woman wearing a uniform walks towards the podium with a bright smile. _Wait, she's wearing a uniform? "Good morning!_ " She shouts at the top of her lungs, amplified even further by the microphone in front of her. You's ears are still ringing when she continues, "Please call me _Mari_! Let's skip the formalities and just talk about the actually important things. Firstly, I'd like to make some changes in our school." She smirks, and for just a second it's like the temperature in the room has dropped as Mari gets serious.

"Recently, I've undergone a program in America that focuses on dance. Obviously, I believe that art is important, which is why I'm not a big fan of the way things are. As you all may know, the school provides a budget for all clubs, which the student council must distribute." She says, glancing at Kanan. "However, as the student council may know but aren't allowed to publicize, the school actually gives _two_ budgets. The larger budget is to be distributed to clubs that focus on studies, while every other club gets a smaller budget." Kanan nods, confirming Mari's statement. Other student's reactions seem to be a mix of anger, disappointment, and overall negativity. "I'm here to change that. Not only will I increase all club's budgets, I'll make sure to at least _double_ the budgets for art clubs." The statement is followed by loud cheers from everyone. Even You is excited; imagine what they could do with all that extra money.

" _However,_ " she continues, "I'll also be putting a precaution to make sure people don't try to abuse my kindness for their own gain. For club day tomorrow, I'll be watching every performance very intently. If I consider your performance to be a disgrace to all kinds of art as we know it, well..." She giggles. "I'll disband your club. Simple as that." Murmurs spread through the student body as they become restless again, and despite her confidence, even You feels a pit in her stomach, wondering if the School Idol Club's performance will be good enough. Once again, Mari stops the murmurs. "To make sure everyone can perform their best tomorrow, I've decided that there will be no studying today. You're all free to prepare for tomorrow!"

Listening to her talk is like a roller coaster, You concludes as the students begin to cheer loudly again. With nothing else to say, Mari walks away from the podium and towards the third-years, giving out hugs and high-fives.

Kanan steps back to the podium, clearing her throat to stop the cheering. "So, that's our new director. All students are free to prepare for club day, good luck." Kanan walks off the stage, followed by the other student council members, and soon the first and second-years begin standing up and moving out of the auditorium. The third-years, on the other hand, are celebrating by tossing their new director in the air, boisterous laughter coming from everyone there.

"She's pretty popular." You remarks mostly to herself, but loud enough for Ruby to pick up.

"She was actually a student here." Ruby says, "She left Uchiura two years ago, so it's no surprise everyone misses her. She's another close friend of Onee-chan."

"Oh, that does explain it." You answers, before asking another question. "So she's also your friend, right? Why don't you talk to her?"

"I do miss her...but she'll definitely come visit our house soon, And...I really don't like crowds."

"Right." You feels her phone buzz in her pocket and pulls it out to check what it is. A message from Yoshiko, ' _we're at the_ _sakura tree_ '. "I'm gonna be meeting up with the School Idol Club, do you want to come?" Ruby only considers the invitation for a second before declining. "Oh...well, see you later then." You says, hiding her disappointment as she walks to the schoolyard. There are more people than usual when she gets there, all of them using the available space to practice. But just like usual, the space underneath the massive cherry blossom tree is occupied only by Chika and Yoshiko, although Dia is absent.

"Oh, You-chan!" Chika greets eagerly, Yoshiko turning to greet her as well. Their bags are laid out in front of them, Chika taking out sheets of song lyrics while Yoshiko takes out Chika's outfit that was sewed yesterday. "Now, all we need to do is wait for Dia-chan!"

"Where is she, by the way?" You asks, sitting down next to them. "I thought she'd be here first."

"With Kanan and the new director," Yoshiko responds bitterly. "Doesn't she know we can't start without her?"

"Calm down, Yoshiko-chan," Chika says, which sounds just a bit hypocritical coming from her. "She won't forget. Oh, there she is actually! Dia-chan!" Chika waves her arm to draw attention to herself. You looks to where Chika is facing and sees Dia lightly jogging towards them, slightly out of breath by the time she arrives.

"Sorry I'm late." She says before sitting down, opening her bag and taking out two books. One is marked 'Choreography', and the other 'Composition'. She then realizes that You is also here and gives her a curious look. "You're going to be watching us?" You nods. "Alright, that's fine. It'll make it easier if you decide to join. Let's start then." Dia looks around at their items placed in front of them, but locks on towards Chika's outfit. She stares at it intently, unresponsive until Yoshiko speaks up.

"Uhh, Dia. Is there something wrong?"

"...Yoshiko-chan." She says quietly, still staring at the outfit. "Where are the others?"

Yoshiko laughs nervously "Well...they're not really done yet. But they're almost done, I promise I can get it done by tomorrow, so don't worry about that."

Dia remains silent, inhaling and exhaling slowly. You can practically feel Yoshiko's anxiety as Dia doesn't respond. "Yoshiko-chan, are you joking?" Yoshiko shakes her head nervously and Dia looks like she's about to explode. Chika, thankfully, stops her from lunging at Yoshiko.

"That's not a problem!" Chika smiles. "We can still practice without it, so just let it go."

Dia sighs, clearly annoyed. "Fine. Fine, I don't care. I'll just say that I expected Yoshiko to finish them."

"Dia, Let it go." Chika insists, while Yoshiko feels even more guilty.

"I _am_ letting it go," Dia says, clearly not letting it go just yet, but willing to put it aside for now so they can continue.

"Right, so let's start the meeting," Chika says cheerfully, successfully lifting everyone's spirits again. "Since I already shared the lyrics, let's start with you two sharing what you made."

Dia, without missing a beat, says "Yoshiko-chan, go ahead."

"W-what, me?" She seems nervous, but slowly unfolds the costume and shows it off to the other two. Chika seems impressed, loving the color scheme and the way it looks, while Dia doesn't look as pleased. "So, this is what I made yesterday with You." She says. In hindsight, that was a bad move, as Dia raises her eyebrow after hearing that. "The other two are the same, but with different colors. Gray for me, red for Dia."

"So you asked You-san to help you with this?" Dia asks, becoming more and more annoyed. "And you still couldn't finish it?"

"It was my fault." You cuts in. "Yohane-chan worked really hard, but-"

"'Yohane-chan?'" Dia asks, continuing to glare daggers at Yoshiko. "You know what, I'll ignore that for now. How can you ask for help and still not finish?"

"W-well, sorry," Yoshiko mumbles, scratching the back of her neck. "I didn't feel well yesterday, and I was tired."

Dia scoffs. "Well, you're not the only one who's tired. I haven't even slept last night." Well, that explains why she looks so tired.

Chika, as if sensing that things are going to get worse, tries to stop it. "Dia-chan, you're acting _kinda_ like a jerk. Maybe you should knock it off?"

"People are looking at us," You adds. Pretty much everyone is trying to remain polite, awkwardly pretending like nothing is happening.

It gets worse.

"You literally have _one_ job." Dia states. "We started working on Tuesday. You had two days to work on them."

"Well, I would've finished if you hadn't rejected my first design." Yoshiko reasons.

"If that's the case, you spent too long making the design. But that does sound appropriate for you. Too many ideas, but nothing comes out of it."

"Dia." Chika drops the honorific. "Calm down. You're making it a bigger issue than it really is."

"I _am_ calm. I'm just frustrated that Yoshiko couldn't do such a simple job as sewing the costumes." You was about to interrupt again when Yoshiko, finally sick of Dia's words, responds.

"You have it easy since you can already play an instrument and you have traditional dance classes. I've never sewn before," Yoshiko says, returning Dia's glare. "So obviously I have to spend more time learning how-to. I would finish earlier if I could already do it."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dia says sarcastically, "Does that mean you can play an instrument? Can you handle the choreography? Can you write the lyrics as fast as Chika did? Would giving you something else to do yield better results?"

"W-well..." Yoshiko trails off, which is more fuel to Dia's fire.

"You're full of excuses, Yoshiko." The argument attracts more attention to them, but no one seems particularly keen on interrupting. If Chika can't stop Dia, no one else can. "I worked hard for this group, took my responsibilities seriously, because it concerns more people than just me. Do you really think I 'have it easy', juggling this with the student council? Honestly, I think you're being selfish."

"Selfish?" Yoshiko steps closer until she's right in front of Dia, challenging her. Meanwhile, You and Chika are trying to assuage the conflict. "How exactly am I being selfish?"

"Well, let's see. You asked someone else to help you with something that's _your_ responsibility, and even then you couldn't finish it. Then you say you'll finish it tomorrow when we all agreed to have everything done by today." Dia shrugs. "Selfish sounds accurate to me. For someone who's a member of the Student Idol Club, I'm ashamed of you. And now you're acting like I'm partially at fault."

"That _is_ your fault!" Yoshiko shouts, surprising even Dia. "You didn't ask me if I wanted to join, you just wrote me down as a member without my permission! You forced me to join this club when you know I don't even like school idols! Did you even think about that? If that's the case, aren't you the one being selfish here, Dia?"

"That's not-"

"You don't care about what I think, you don't care about what I want to do, all you care about is what you want to do! You don't respect me, you don't take me seriously, you don't like my Yohane persona. Hell, it's almost like you don't like me, period." She tosses the costume, which You grabs before it touches the ground. "I'm sick and tired of this. I don't want to be a part of this club anymore. I quit!"

You's jaw drops when the sound of a slap is heard, echoing as Dia stomps away towards the school building. Chika seems just as shocked, staring at the dark-haired girl as she disappears into the building. "...oh no." She stands up and goes towards Yoshiko, who's holding her red cheek. "Yoshiko, come on."

"W-what?" She asks, her eyes beginning to gloss over.

"Come on, let's talk with Dia. This is serious." She turns back to face You. "You-chan, do you mind taking care of our stuff?"

"N-no, I don't mind." You manages to say.

"Thanks." Chika sighs. "Sorry that this wasn't too fun for you. I'll, uhh...make it up to you later. But right now, we gotta find Dia. See you later."

"...good luck." You says in encouragement as Chika pulls Yoshiko by the arm, following their friend into the school.

 **A/N: I think I spent way too much time fixing and adjusting the argument, and hopefully it turned out pretty nicely. The next chapter will probably be posted in a few more days, so stay tuned.**


	12. Difference

"Y-you're looking for Onee-chan?" Ruby asks towards the two girls in front of her. She was surprised when Dia, close to tears, came towards her for help. And now she's being ambushed by both Chika and Yoshiko, out of breath after trying to chase Dia.

"Did...did you see her anywhere?" Chika stares at her hopefully, only making the redhead more nervous. She stutters as she tries to get out an answer.

"Onee-chan." She stops, then continues, her voice hardening. "Onee-chan...told me not to let you know where she is."

Yoshiko growls, startling Ruby and making her lose her composure. "We need to know where she is, right now."

"B-but, Onee-chan trusted me...so I can't." She sounds just a bit apologetic as she turns around and walks away. But after only a few steps, she feels two pairs of arms wrapping around her torso, stopping her from moving.

"Ruby-chan, pleeease," Chika whines loudly, once again attracting attention towards them. Yoshiko bets that the whole school will know about this by the end of the day.

"U-uhm, uhmm..." Ruby glances around at the other students, her anxiety levels rising when she sees them staring back at her. "Uuhh, Onee-chan..."

"Dia is in the student council room." The trio turns towards the voice, their eyes meeting Kanan's neutral expression. "If she asks, tell her that I'm the one who told you two where she is."

"Kanan-chan..." Ruby mumbles softly, feeling the girl's hand patting her head.

"It's fine," She assures, "You did what she asked you to, Dia won't get mad at you." She directs her gaze towards the other two, who've detached themselves from Ruby. "What are you waiting for? Go get her."

"Right, thanks a lot," The two nod, running towards the student council room. Neither of them saw the flash of worry that went through Kanan's features.

* * *

"Dia!" Chika knocks on the door for the tenth time within the last minute. "Please open the door. We want to talk with you!" Just like the previous times, Chika's words are answered with complete silence. Yoshiko sighs.

"She doesn't want to talk to us." She states as Chika knocks on the door again. "Maybe we should just look for a spare key?" Chika shakes her head.

"Dia, I know you're in there!" She shouts louder. "If you don't want to talk, then fine. But at least hear us out!" Silence. Yoshiko can see the desperation in Chika's eyes as she slams her fist against the wooden door, causing it to shake. "Please!" She pleads. "I don't like seeing you two fight. Aren't we supposed to be friends?" Still no answer. Chika bangs her head against the door with a dull 'thud'.

"What's the point, then?" She asks, her voice beginning to crack. "What's the point if you're going to let this one fight destroy our friendship? Don't you care about that? About _us_?" Tears beginning to form in her eyes, she says, "If you really think that...I despise you." Her words have a sense of finality to them, something unexpected from Chika. "So please, prove me that I'm wrong. I'm begging you."

 _Click._ Chika and Yoshiko stare at the door. "Did she..." Chika tries opening the door, watching as it slides open with zero resistance. They stare at each other for a second before nodding and walking into the student council room.

When Chika and Yoshiko enter, Dia is frantically rubbing her eyes, trying to hide that she had been crying. If that wasn't obvious enough, she also looks like a mess. Her eyes are puffy and bloodshot, her breathing is uneven, and she refuses to look at them directly, but that doesn't make her seem any less scary. In fact, her eyes make her seem like some sort of demon, striking fear in her heart.

Once the three of them are inside, Chika discreetly locks the door behind her. Until they've finished talking it out, none of them can leave, and no one can walk in to interrupt. She makes a mental note to apologize to Kanan later if she tried to get in while the door was locked.

Dia remains silent as she collects her thoughts, her gaze cast downwards. Then, she takes a deep breath and clears her throat. "I've calmed down a bit," Dia says, her voice hoarse from crying. "I thought about my earlier actions, and what I said."

Before either of them were able to say anything, Dia bows in front of them. "I'm sorry," she says. "I wasn't thinking correctly, and I acted out of line. Please forgive me."

"Dia..." Chika trails off as she glances at the third person in the room. Yoshiko's eyes are fixed at Dia, her fists clenched so tightly that they might start bleeding.

"...why?" She asks, low and intimidating, forcing Dia to straighten up. All she can feel right now is an unnatural amount of anger directed at her. "I'm not looking for an apology. I want to know why you're so angry at me in particular."

"I...I don't know." Dia mumbles, and that's all it takes before Yoshiko explodes.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Yoshiko demands. "Are you saying that everything you did, you did because you thought it'd be _fun_? Is that your hobby now?"

"Yoshiko," Chika attempts to calm her down, but to her surprise, Dia stops her.

"It's fine, Chika," Dia says. "Yoshiko has the right to be angry with me, but at least give me the chance to explain myself." Yoshiko quiets down at the words, still angry but wanting to hear her out.

"I'm still not quite sure about why I acted out in that manner," She admits. "But I'm assuming that it's because of a lot of factors that kept piling up. My exhaustion and lack of sleep from working on the choreography and composition, being overworked because of the student council, and stress from my inability to find a suitable vice-president. All of these played a part and caused me to lash out at you. For that, I apologize."

Unfortunately, Yoshiko doesn't stop glaring at Dia, causing beads of sweat to form on her forehead. It feels wrong. The 'apology' sounded formal and artificial, like something you'd read off a script. It's something Dia-like, but it makes her feel disgusted. Does she even mean it?

"You're not sure why you slapped me in the face?" Yoshiko asks accusingly. She didn't mean her words to be so piercing, but it's like she's lost her filter. It's almost like she's no longer scared of what Dia might do to her. Or maybe she knows that Dia is going to kill her once they're done, and is deciding to lay everything out for the sole witness, Chika. Either way, they _will_ hear what she has to say.

Dia bites her lower lip, then nods. "That's correct. I'm sorry that my answer is unsatisfactory for you." She lets out a depressed sigh. "I've never done something like this before."

Yoshiko blinks. "You've never apologized to someone before?"

"I _have,_ but...I'm not exactly comfortable with it."

"You're not comfortable with it. Oh my god..." Yoshiko groans loudly in frustration. "Just how much of a stuck-up bitch are you?"

"Don't cuss at me!" Dia snaps back. "I'm doing my best, alright?"

"Oh, sure you are." Sarcasm drips from Yoshiko's words, like gasoline fueling her rage. "Just like I did my best to make those outfits from scratch, but that didn't stop you from slapping me, or embarrassing me right there where the whole school can see. How can you think that's fine? For you to slap me when I mess up, but I can't do it when you do?"

"I don't think it's fine," Dia says calmly. Her face is determined as she takes a few steps towards Yoshiko, until they're only an arm's length apart. She motions towards her cheek with her finger. "Slap me." She sounds dead serious. Yoshiko can feel her rage quietly dissipating as she stares at Dia in shock.

"W-what?"

"S-slap me," Dia repeats herself. "I had no excuse for doing that, it's unacceptable. I don't want you to be angry at me. That's why...if it would make you feel better, you can return the favor. An eye for an eye."

"I...can?" Yoshiko asks, sounding unsure of herself. Dia nods once again, and Yoshiko turns towards Chika. The orange-haired girl seems somewhat against the idea, but it doesn't look like she'd stop her. The statement she's trying to make is clear.

The choice, whatever she decides on, is Yoshiko's alone to make.

Gulping nervously, she slowly raises her open palm, watching as Dia closes her eyes and braces herself. She can feel her arms shaking as she contemplates whether or not she should do it. Maybe it's true that she's angry at Dia, but at the same time, Yoshiko wants to forgive Dia right then and there.

But there's another part of her that disagrees. Being a prideful girl, Yoshiko would never admit how much Dia's words stung, but that doesn't change the fact that they did. _A lot_. That part of her feels like she had been betrayed by the girl standing in front of her. Yoshiko's not sure if it's the logical part of her brain that's telling her to do it, or the emotional part wanting to exact revenge.

"I'm sorry." Before she can hesitate any longer, she closes her eyes and slaps Dia hard, causing her to stagger back. She hears a gasp coming from Chika, her eyes widening.

The other girl lets out a hiss of pain, rubbing the hand-shaped mark on her cheek as she stares at Yoshiko. "...are you still angry now?"

"Just a bit." Yoshiko huffs, staring at her hand. "D-does it hurt?" She asks nervously.

"It stings a lot," Dia says, forcing a thin smile on her lips. "But...it's fine. I understand that I was being unreasonable." She puts out her right hand, offering it to Yoshiko. "Will you please forgive me now?"

Yoshiko stares at the outstretched hand quietly, hesitant to take it, which makes Dia anxious.

"I want to say something first." Dia nods, disappointed but understanding as her arm returns to her side. Yoshiko attempts to steady her wavering voice before continuing. "Dia...you really pissed me off, you know that?"

Dia slowly nods her head. "I...I do, I'm sorry."

"I-I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty," Yoshiko sighs. She struggles to swallow down the nervous lump that's beginning to form in her throat. "I know that I'm not as knowledgeable about school idols, about what they do. And I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry that I can't work as fast as you want me to, or if my ideas are a bit out-there. But I really don't like it when you assume I work less hard because of that."

"Because...even though it might not be much, I'm trying my best. I really am." She finds it harder to keep her voice steady. Nonetheless, she presses on. "I've made some sacrifices for this club already. I spent a lot of money buying the materials, and a lot of time making just two of the costumes. I even got sick yesterday because of that. But I didn't really mind, you know? I felt like those sacrifices are worth it. I want to see this club succeed just as much as you do. I felt kinda left out when you two talk about idols, even if that wasn't your intention."

Yoshiko sheepishly rubs the back of her neck. "Even if I don't know a lot about idols, I did a lot of research on them because I want to make something I'm proud of. I designed the outfits myself, and I even learned how to sew just so I can make them. Because...I really want to work hard on something the three of us can do together. That's kinda embarrassing, but that's how I feel."

Silence envelops the three of them as Yoshiko finishes her monologue, until Dia speaks up. "Thank you."

"S-sorry?"

"Thank you," Dia says. "If I was in your position, I'm not sure if I would be willing to try out something I have no experience in." She seems happy for a brief second, then she frowns. "Even though you were doing your best, I acted in such an impatient and horrible manner. I'm so, so sorry."

"You don't have to keep apologizing you know, you've done that enough." Yoshiko reasons, but Dia is having none of it.

"Give me a chance to make it up to you." She says firmly. "If...if you're willing to give the club a second chance, I promise it'll be more enjoyable for all of us. We can think of it as a new start."

"I..." Yoshiko trails off as she looks at Dia's hopeful expression, then sighs. She can't say that she didn't _enjoy_ trying to sew the outfits, in spite of the difficulty. Being able to go at her own pace, and the chance to reconnect with Chika and Dia after this argument sounds like a good idea.

"Fine. On one condition." She adds quickly. "I want to be able to make one," she puts up a finger to make a point, "Decision or request involving the club at any point in the future, and you're not allowed to veto it."

"Deal." Dia smiles, once again offering her hand to Yoshiko. "Will you please forgive me, Yoshiko?" The other girl takes Dia's hand, giving it a firm shake.

"You do know that I can do anything I want with the request, right?" Yoshiko asks. "Aren't you scared about that hanging over your head?"

"Just a bit," Dia admits. "But it's like you said. Some sacrifices are worth it. You're worth it." Dia definitely didn't mean it that way, but that doesn't stop Yoshiko from getting a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry for everything."

Chika, who had kept to herself for all that time, pulls them into a group hug, smiling brightly. "See, that wasn't so hard," she says proudly. "I knew that you wouldn't let this one dumb fight break us apart. We're best friends after all!" She continues to hug them, unaware that she's squeezing the life out of them. It hurts a bit, but neither of them want to ruin the moment, so they do their best to return the embrace.

Once she's satisfied, Chika gives them space to breathe, much to their relief. "It made me really sad when you started fighting, so I'm glad that we can work this out peacefully." She stares at them, the red mark on Dia's cheek still clearly visible. _Semi-peacefully_ , she thinks to herself. "So...anything else you two want to confess? This is the perfect time to do it."

 _Nope, nope, nope._ Chika definitely doesn't mean _that_ when she says 'confess'. Although, there's one more thing that's bothering her. Considering everything that had happened, asking one more question definitely won't hurt. As Chika said, they're friends after all.

"Why do you hate Yohane so much?" Yoshiko asks curiously, receiving a questioning look from Dia in return.

"Does it seem like that?" Yoshiko seems appalled; it definitely doesn't seem like Dia liked Yohane. It seems like Dia downright despises Yohane.

"Yes!" Yoshiko almost shouts back. "You always scold me whenever I 'turn' into Yohane. Why?"

"I thought you didn't like Yohane either," Dia answers nervously, causing Yoshiko to look even more confused. How could she hate something that's a part of her?

"Why would you think that?"

"You always seemed so embarrassed after you turn into Yohane," Dia explains. "Like you can't control being Yohane, so I thought that it was bothering you. Also, you kept saying that you wanted to be more 'normal', and you didn't seem to care when I first scolded you, so I thought my guess was correct." The guilt on her expression becomes even more intense as she realizes her error. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that Yohane is an important part of you."

"I...guess I can kinda understand that," Yoshiko mutters. If she thinks about it, the way she acts _does_ make it seem like Yohane is an unwelcome part of her. "I guess it's also kinda my fault. I should've said something if I felt really bothered by it, rather than keeping quiet. But..."

Yoshiko mentally prepares herself for what she's about to say. "Yohane isn't really that important to me. Or, she _is_ , but...you two are more important to me than Yohane." Her cheeks turn slightly red as she says the last part in a quieter voice. "So...if either of you are uncomfortable with Yohane, I wouldn't mind keeping her in check."

"No!" Chika interjects at this point. "We love you just the way you are, whether it's Yohane or Yoshiko."

"Chika is right," Dia adds. "I'm sorry if my actions made it seem like I didn't accept you for who you are. I didn't know better."

"It's fine," Yoshiko says, blushing as she wonders if she's the only one who notices Chika's specific word choice and wondering if it actually means something. "I admit that I can be overbearing, but thanks for always sticking with me."

"There's no need to thank us," Chika says as she unlocks the door, sliding it open. "Come on! Now that we're all feeling better, let's head back to the schoolyard. I'm sure You-chan is getting worried." She looks back at Dia and Yoshiko with a wistful expression, but only for a moment before her usual, easy smile returns.

"Alright!" Yoshiko seems more pumped up now. A lot of thoughts that troubled her have disappeared, or at least shrunk significantly.

Dia chuckles as she walks out of the room with Chika and Yoshiko. "Let's do our best for tomorrow's live. Nothing can stand in our way now."

"And after this, Love Live!" Chika cheers loudly. "The three of us are gonna stick together, each step of the way there."


	13. Preparation, Part III

You doesn't know what she expected when the second-years finally came back.

Maybe she's been watching too many dramas recently, but she expected something more serious. More tears shed, shouting that could be heard from the other side of the school, or even an actual fight. She didn't expect them to return with smiles on their faces like nothing had happened. But the mark on Dia's cheek more than proves that something _did_ happen. She can only hope that it was a good thing.

They sit down in their original positions. Dia turns to face You and lowers her head. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she mumbles, regretting her actions. "It was incredibly unsightly. Being unable to control myself is no excuse for my behavior."

You glances at Yoshiko, who has the most reason to be angry at Dia. She doesn't seem too bothered now, so there's no reason for You to hold it against her either. "Don't worry about it. I'm just happy you're able to work it out."

Dia nods. "We were able to. I promised to make amends starting from today. Also..." She coughs into her hand. "I hope that what happened doesn't affect your plans for joining the club. I'll allow you to work at your own pace, so please consider it."

Chika grins, playfully punching her on the shoulder. "Loosen up! You make it seem like we're still mad at you, even after you've apologized for a gazillion times." Dia blushes at the reminder. "Right, Yoshiko-chan?"

"Right." Yoshiko chuckles as she does a pose. "I, a fallen angel, have granted you a second chance. It would be wise not to waste it." You can't help but laugh alongside her; it's good to know that Yoshiko is back to normal. Even Dia is smiling a bit.

"Anyway," Dia clears her throat. "If you two don't mind, I believe it would be good for us to start practicing as soon as possible. Don't you think so?" Chika and Yoshiko nod in agreement.

"But where should we do it?" You asks, looking around. Other than the small area they're occupying, the rest of the schoolyard is being used by the other students for their own preparations. There's no chance that the gym isn't full, and they'd be lucky to find a spare classroom. Dia thinks about it for a bit, before snapping her fingers as a smile spreads across her face.

"What about the roof?" She offers, causing Chika's eyes to light up as well.

"You mean like μ's?" Dia nods. "That sounds awesome! Yoshiko, what about you?"

"I mean, I guess it'll be a bit hot." Yoshiko shrugs. "But I've felt worse. If no one else is using it, I don't mind."

"Then it's decided! Let's check out the roof right now." Chika puts the lyrics back into her bag before standing up. "Come on, hurry up!"

"The roof isn't going anywhere." Dia chuckles, standing up as well. Chika pouts after hearing her statement.

"But someone else might get to it before we do." Chika whines, staring up at where the roof is located.

"She has a point." You grins mischievously, helping Yoshiko stand. "So why don't we run there?"

"Ehh?" Yoshiko stares at her in shock, but You is unfazed.

"It'll be fun!" She reasons. "Think of it as our first practice. I'll be your coach."

"I like the sound of that!" Chika laughs, taking off towards the roof.

Dia and Yoshiko can only stare until a firm grip on their shoulder causes them to focus again. "Come on you two, start running." You says with a wide grin. Dia rolls her eyes, but begins running after Chika. Yoshiko follows not too long after, with You behind them to keep them motivated.

"That..." Dia pants, struggling to catch her breath. "Was...horrible." Despite starting second, Dia ended up being the last to arrive at the roof. You expected Yoshiko, who is also out of breath, to be the most out of shape out of the three of them, but Dia seems even worse off.

The roof is mostly empty. Other than them, there's the art club making a banner, but they don't mind sharing space. Which is good, because You doubts Dia would be able to go downstairs if they had to move again. While Chika, Dia, and Yoshiko begin taking out their stuff again, You takes in the majestic scenery. There are almost no clouds to obstruct her vision, giving her a clear view of Mt. Fuji and Uchiura, as well as a bit of Numazu. For a few seconds she just stands there, smiling softly as the gentle breeze cools her down. She understands now why the roof would be a popular place to practice.

"Hey, You-chan!" Chika calls out to her. "Snap out of it, don't you want to watch us?" You turns around, seeing Dia take out a laptop from her bag.

"Sure." She approaches, sitting down as Dia finds the file she wants and clicks on it. A few seconds later, sound begins to play through the speakers, which she quickly registers as a piano being played. "Is this the song?"

"Yes it is," Dia says proudly. "I went for a more cheerful mood to match Chika's lyrics. What do you think?"

"I love it!" Chika increases the volume, her eyes shining as the beat begins to pick up. "I don't know how to describe it. It's kind of like..." She furiously pounds her fist against her chest. "It makes your heart beat faster just from listening to it."

Yoshiko laughs at her actions. "That's...an interesting way to put it. But I have to agree. It's exciting to listen to."

"I'm glad you two like it." Dia sighs. "I thought it'd be a bit too plain for the song."

"It's not like other pop songs are particularly complicated, so you're fine," Yoshiko says. "Where'd you get a piano by the way?"

"Oh, I borrowed it from Sakurauchi-san," Dia answers casually. "She says I can use it again if we have to make another song."

"Riko-chan has a piano?" Chika asks enthusiastically. "That's amazing! Is she like a composer or something? Let's ask her to join." Both Yoshiko and Dia hold her back before she has a chance to run off and look for Riko.

"Later." Dia states. Chika pouts but remains quiet as the instrumental track continues to play. It ends after a few minutes, silence hanging in the air temporarily. Dia clears her throat. "There's another one that I want you to listen to." You notices the light blush dusting her features. She plays the next file.

" _Sparkle! I noticed the new thrill in my heart._ "

Chika and Yoshiko's eyes are comically wide as they hear the singing, while Dia looks even more embarrassed. "S-since you didn't mark the lyrics with specific intonations or pronunciation, I sang my take on it," Dia explains, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "I took into consideration which words packed the most punch and accentuated them, as well as how well they match with the backing track. We don't have to match it exactly with how I sang it, especially since we have different vocal ranges."

"That's...really smart," Yoshiko mutters, still focused on the sound of Dia's voice coming from the laptop. "You're such a workaholic." She says playfully.

Dia laughs. "I'm not _that_ bad. Besides, I prefer the word 'perfectionist'."

"Perfectionist or not, this is insane..." You says in awe. Chika and Yoshiko agree with her.

"Either way, it looks like we got our work cut out for us. Thanks for this, Dia." Chika turns to face her three friends with a wide smile on her face. "Now, there's no excuse to fail. Let's give our all to make tomorrow the best show ever!"

The four of them cheer loudly, and You smiles when she sees how happy everyone is. Even before the live show, she's already decided that she wants to do this more often with them.

Tomorrow, she'll join the school idol club.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back dear!" Riko's mother walks out of the kitchen, smiling as she sees her daughter closing the door. "How was school today?"

"We didn't do anything." Riko places her shoes near the entrance before going into the living room. "We got the day off so the clubs can prepare for tomorrow. I had nothing to do, so I went home."

"I...see." Her lips forming a tight frown, the older woman tries to hide her disappointment. "What about your new friends? Takami-san, Tsushima-san, and Kurosawa-san?"

"They're busy." Riko sighs, her eyes downcast. Her mother offers a sympathetic look; Riko has always struggled to make friends, but it's even harder transferring into a school where everyone already knows each other.

"That's a shame." She approaches her daughter, wrapping her arms around her in a hug to comfort her. "It'll get better, trust me. It's only been a few days, but you've already made three new friends. I'm very proud of you."

Riko shakes her head. "That's nothing to be proud of..."

"It's still an improvement. You seem much happier here," her mother says. "At the very least, this place is better than Otonokizaka, right?" When Riko doesn't respond, the mother gently pulls away. "I'm sorry, I know you don't like remembering it."

"...it's fine."

"Oh, I know. I was just about to make a sandwich for myself. Do you want one?" Her mother asks.

"Sure." Riko smiles. "I'll be in my room, okay?"

"Of course, have fun!" As her mother goes back to the kitchen, Riko slowly goes up the stairs. Her thoughts are a blur as she goes into the first door on the second floor.

The room that's supposed to be hers is cluttered with unpacked boxes full of her belongings. It's still relatively plain for now, which bothers her more than it should. She places her school bag on the table, and her eyes subconsciously go towards the last thing she wants to see right now; the piano sitting in the corner of her room.

She goes towards it, gently running her hand across the keyboard cover. The familiar feeling sends many memories-both good and bad- rushing to her mind. But out of all of them, she can very clearly remember the latest one.

" _Pardon the intrusion," Dia says, walking into Riko's room while being mindful of the boxes on the floor. After putting her bag on the table, Riko takes her textbook and sits on her bed, pretending to study. Another, less acceptable book is hidden between the pages, helping her hide her reading material from Dia._

" _Go ahead and use the piano." Riko motions towards it. "If you need any help, feel free to ask."_

" _Thank you...are you sure it's fine?" Dia looks at her with a concerned expression. "I wouldn't want to bother you because I'm being too loud. It's late, after all."_

" _It's no trouble at all." She assures, smiling at Dia. "I'm sure the piano will be very happy to have someone play it."_

" _I see..." Dia places her bag near Riko's, pulling out a few sheets of paper. Upon closer inspection, she can see that they're music sheets._

 _Riko returns her focus towards her doujin, letting herself be immersed in the world. Sometimes she imagines herself as the protagonist, other times as the main love interest, and sometimes as a side character. These books and the stories they tell make her happy, and have helped her through some tough times._

 _She usually gets tunnel vision as she reads, only occasionally glancing around to make sure no one will discover her secret. Because of that, something has to be really interesting to distract her from her fantasies. Said something happens to be Dia's piano playing._

" _Ah, crap." She curses. "I messed up..." Taking a deep breath, she begins playing from the start again. Riko lowers her book, watching as Dia plays the piano. Just from looking at her back, she can guess how Dia is feeling. She can picture the sight of her brows furrowed in concentration, small droplets of sweat going down her face._

 _Another off-note. Dia throws up her hands in frustration. "There's no way I can do this. The song is too long."_

" _Keep going." Riko pushes. "You were playing pretty good. Just don't think about it too much and you'll be fine."_

" _I'm not so sure about that." Dia sighs, restarting the recording on her phone. "Alright, I'll give it another try then." The notes begin to flow once more, filling the space of Riko's room with gentle music. For the duration of the song, Riko closes her eyes, letting the music wash over her. It's comforting._

 _The last few notes are played, Dia seeming to be in disbelief that she had done it. She turns around to face Riko. "W-what do you think?"_

" _Well, it's a bit simple..." Riko trails off before correcting herself when she sees Dia's reaction. "That's not a bad thing! When you're making a song like this, it's important to focus on which parts are the most important. If the meaning of the lyrics are important, you want the music to support it, rather than distract from it. So you're doing a good job at hiding your weakness."_

" _Is that so?" Dia perks up. Riko nods her head. "Thank you."_

" _...there's room for improvement," Riko adds, "If you think you can handle it, you can add some complexity to the parts that have no singing. There's nothing to cover up those parts, so people will be able to tell if it's too simple."_

" _I see. I have a long way to go, it seems." Dia stares back at the piano. There's something in her eyes that makes Riko feel nostalgic all of a sudden. She smiles, closing her book before approaching the girl. She takes a seat on the other side of the bench, far from Dia so she won't distract her._

" _Can you play it again for me?"_

Throughout the day, the memory replayed itself in Riko's mind. How Dia told her the day before that she wanted to make a song for her school idol club, and how Riko offered her piano for use.

In honesty, Riko would compare Dia's playing to her four-year-old self. It's a bit too simple for her tastes. The way her fingers were positioned made her cringe slightly, and she made more mistakes as she tried to refine the song. It's clear to her that Dia is a novice who had likely just learned to play the instrument.

But there's one more thing she can relate to her younger self. Without much care for the actual quality of it, Dia had played the instrument with passion above all else. She was driven by the desire. The desire to improve, to keep moving forward.

When she looked into Dia's eyes last night, she sees a reflection of her younger self staring back. The girl with her hair tied into pigtails, giggling as her mother guides her fingers towards the keys of the piano. She remembers having that exact same desire burning within her.

It's unfortunate that she couldn't keep it alive. When she grew older, she began doubting her own skills, then her desires, and finally she doubted herself. With nothing to feed it, the fire inside of her died. Playing simply became a routine which became harder to do, until she couldn't do it at all. She can still remember the faces of the people she saw the last time she tried to get on stage, lowering her head as tears streaked down her face.

When Dia played the piano in front of her last night, she felt a small flicker being reignited. Her desire to become a top school idol impressed even Riko, who hadn't the slightest clue of what those are. She wishes she can have the same amount of determination for something.

Hesitantly, she sits down on the bench and carefully lifts the lid. Her arms are shaky as she positions her fingers on top of the ivory keys. She presses down, a note ringing out. She presses down on a different note, and another, until finally, she begins to play a familiar song. It's one of the first songs she learned when she began learning to play piano, something that she should be able to play with no problem. She finds herself messing up sometimes, which is incredibly frustrating, but it's better than not playing at all.

As her fingers continue to move across the keys, she thinks to herself. _Would I be able to play again if I become a school idol?_


	14. Initiation

Eventually, the sun sets on the first practice of the School Idol Club, leaving three exhausted girls on the floor of the roof and You staring at them.

"I thought...it wouldn't have been this hard," Dia mutters, her chest heaving as she tries to control her breathing. "None of the moves were too hard...I don't understand."

"Just because they're not hard doesn't mean they're not tiring." You answers in a deadpan tone. "I thought that would be pretty obvious. The dance has a lot of jumps and hops and other kinds of feet movements. It drains your stamina a lot." She frowns as she stares at the three second-years. "Alright, maybe we need to do some stamina training."

"What?" Yoshiko looks at You like she betrayed her. "Seriously? _More_ training?" You nods. "I don't think my body can take much more...look, even Chika's tired."

"I'm fine!" Chika assures from her position, lying face-down. "I just need some mikan...or some juice..."

You frowns even more at their reactions. "It's not gonna get any easier from now on. The more experience you have, the better your songs will be, and the choreography is just gonna get harder. How are you gonna win Love Live if you can't do that much?" 

"Alright," Dia sighs, "stamina training, got it. But not tomorrow. We have to conserve energy for the live. Let's all just head home and rest up."

"You caved in pretty quickly." You smiles as she helps the three idols-in-training get back on their feet. "Don't worry, I'll be the best coach ever. I got a plan that'll get us on track to winning Love Live."

" _Us?_ " Energy returning to her body, Chika runs straight towards You, her eyes sparkling as she stares right at her. "Does that mean you're going to join us? Seriously?"

Chika's enthusiasm and energy take her off-guard, causing her to wonder if Chika was ever really tired to begin with. "I'll decide after the live." You tells her, watching as Chika deflates.

"...can't you decide now?" She asks, "It'll motivate us even more if you join us right now. Please, You-chan?"

"Don't listen to her," Dia says before You can respond. "Don't feel pressured to join if you're still unsure. Although I must admit that having another person in the club would be a great help, so please consider it seriously."

With that out of the way, the four girls fall back into a comfortable silence while they prepare to go home. They make the way downstairs together, their footsteps echoing within the school halls. None of them are surprised to see the lights on and a more than a dozen students still running around in hopes of finishing the last-minute preparations.

Speaking of last-minute preparations, You remembers the two outfits they'll have to finish by tonight and groans at the thought. They're so close to finishing it, however, and Yoshiko seems capable when she's not sleep deprived. She'll just have to keep a close eye on her.

The four girls part when they leave the school grounds, Chika and Dia going their separate way while Yoshiko and You run together to the bus stop so they can catch the last bus.

It's only been happening for a week, but it feels a lot longer to You. These daily trips bus between Numazu and Uranohoshi have become something she looks forward to. It's the reason she's able to learn new things about Yoshiko while teasing her. It's fun, at the very least.

"So, I asked my mom to pick up some fabric on the way home," Yoshiko says as they board the bus. "I'll grab it from my house and then I'll go to yours right after. Sounds good?"

"Fine by me," You answers. "Are you gonna be having dinner again with us?"

She shakes her head. "I'll be having dinner with my mom either before or after we start making the outfits."

"It'll take a while to finish, so you can have dinner before then." You advises. "Just give me the stuff first so I can get it ready. Laundry and all that."

"Sure." Yoshiko leans against her seat, exhaustion fully setting in. "You're so cruel, You. I can't believe you would make us endure such horrible exercises."

"It could've been worse," You shrugs. "In fact, once we get serious, it _will_ be worse."

"See, this is why you won't be able to find yourself a girlfriend."

"W-what?"

"Yeah, no one would want to date someone younger who bosses them around." You glares at Yoshiko. Without warning, she reaches over and pinches Yoshiko's cheeks, causing her to whine loudly.

"Fine then." She mutters as she pulls back, pouting. "I guess I won't be helping you with those costumes. You'll have to do everything yourself."

Yoshiko has a teasing smile on her face, which means whatever she says next won't be good. "I'm sorry, You," she says. "I guess I took it too far. I should know better than joking about that to someone with such an intense _senpai_ -complex like yourself."

"Good luck finding a sewing machine. See ya." She stands up, but Yoshiko grabs her arm before she can move.

"This isn't even your stop. Please stop sulking. I'll even make it up to you." For a moment, You thought that Yoshiko might actually mean it. But when she sees the smile that's still etched on her face, she regrets it. "I'm going to do _everything_ in my power to set you up with an upperclassman."

You gives Yoshiko a blank stare before letting out an uncharacteristic snort. "Good luck with that."

"I'm being serious, though."

"No you're not." You says without missing a beat.

"Yeah I am." Yoshiko laughs, once again telling You that she isn't actually serious. "Don't worry, I'm going to help you find a girlfriend."

"Whatever you say, Yohane-chan." You rolls her eyes, unable to imagine herself falling in love so soon. "You're not going to get tired of messing with me, are you?"

"Nope!" Yoshiko replies without even an ounce of shame. "That's what friends do, after all!"

When they get off the bus, they waste no time getting ready. Yoshiko hands You all of the materials before running back to her house, while You sets everything up. She finds a thimble she thought she lost, something that would've saved them a lot of trouble in hindsight.

Yoshiko comes back to her house a little bit later, and after a lot of sewing the two outfits are laid out in front of her. Yoshiko had done it with little input from her, something she seems extremely proud of.

"Just imagine what kind of outfits I can make for my streams..." She mutters as she puts the two outfits into her bag. "Thanks for your help, You. Make sure to watch us tomorrow!"

You waves lazily as Yoshiko walks out of her house. Although they didn't talk much while finishing the outfits, she can tell that Yoshiko is a lot happier now. The thought makes her smile.

 _Looks like everything is fine now._

"Here you go, Mari." The student council president hands the paper to the blonde, watching as she looks it over one more time before signing it and placing it on the pile. "You're a lot more serious now. I don't think you'd be able to sit still for so long before."

The two girls are sitting in the student council room, going through the final preparations for tomorrow's club day. It's exhausting, but wanting to see everyone's smiles tomorrow is the reward that keeps them going. They work efficiently, with Kanan going through the paperwork and Mari checking to make sure everything is in place.

"Kanan, Kanan." The blonde wags her finger, twirling her pen with her other hand. " _Play hard, work hard._ I can be serious when I have to. Especially now that I'm the principal."

"I see." She hands another paper to Mari, a gentle smile gracing her features as she looks at her childhood friend. "You've changed a lot, you know. In a good way."

Mari's pen stops momentarily. She doesn't feel like she improved significantly after a year in America. It troubles her a lot, wondering if she wasted the opportunity she had been given. "You think so?" She says, signing the paper to make it look like nothing's wrong.

"Duh." Another paper replaces the previous one. "I know so. We've been friends for so long, I'm pretty sure I can tell."

"You changed a lot, too," Mari says, signing that paper as well. After so many signatures, she feels like she can do it without looking. "You're a lot more carefree the last time I saw you. I know Dia would be interested in being the student council president, but you of all people?"

"I take offense to that." Kanan chuckles. She notices a small, non-fatal error on the next one and decides to ask the badminton club about it later before pushing it into a different pile. "It's like you said. I can be serious when I have to."

"Hmm, I see." She smiles at Kanan before returning to her work. "How's the student council these days?"

"...not so good, to be honest." At the words, Mari looks up. "I'm not sure why, but there are a lot fewer people in the student council this year. Even if you compare it to the past few years, this is a new low."

"Why?" Mari's both confused and curious at what would cause something like that to happen. She can't imagine Kanan doing something controversial that would cause that.

"Best case scenario? More clubs exist, so people are more serious about practice and competitions and stuff like that." Judging by Kanan's expression, that's not likely. "As for the most likely one..."

She sighs, depressed.

"Well, I don't like to think about that. I hope I'm wrong."


	15. Identity

The next morning is unnaturally quiet for You. Yoshiko had told her that she'll be going to school early to discuss the day's performance with Dia and Chika. And although this isn't the first time she's taking the bus to school alone, she's gotten more or less used to Yoshiko bothering her. With no one to talk to, there's only one thing she can do.

No, not finish the homework that's due Monday and she'll forget about until Sunday. The only thing she can do is sleep.

She only wakes up after arriving at Uranohoshi, and even then the driver needed to wake her up. One quick apology later, she walks through the gates, wandering into the front area of Uranohoshi. She sees some second-years hanging large banners in front of the school building, but most are scattered around, preparing their respective club's booths.

There's still a while before it's time to go to class, so she decides that wandering around a bit wouldn't hurt. After a few minutes, she comes across what seems to be the School Idol Club's booth, although it's unmanned. The relatively new club has no accolades to display for prospective members. In fact, the only things on the table is a flyer similar to the one she received a few days ago (now with a picture of Yoshiko and her number added), as well as a sheet of paper for people to sign up.

It's fairly humble, a direct contrast to her image of an idol: bright, flashy, and unique. But she supposes that every group has to start like this. Even Muse, one of the most decorated groups in the history of Love Live (or at least, that's what Chika calls them), has their early failures buried underneath articles of their accomplishments. Maybe Uranohoshi's school idols will share a similar fate.

After that, she goes into the school building and heads to her class, greeting Hanamaru and Ruby when she enters. There are no classes today, so the three have a short conversation while waiting for the day to officially begin. You finds out that Hanamaru seems interested in being a part of the school choir, as well as setting up a literature club. Ruby hasn't decided on any, but both You and Hanamaru can tell that her heart is set on the School Idol Club. She's already invested in it, even helping them make their first flyers, and she's so passionate about idols that it would be a waste not to have her join.

Before they have the chance to convince her further, Kanan and a few other third-years enter the class. She looks around, waiting for everyone to quiet down before speaking up. "Good morning, everyone." She says, her voice causing a few of You's classmates to swoon. "So, usually we'd be doing this auditorium, but there's only one first-year class this year anyway, so I decided to save some time by coming here." Despite the casual tone Kanan spoke in, it's still shocking to be reminded of that fact. "But let's not talk about that." She tacks on afterward after noticing the other's awkward expressions.

"Today's club day, as I assume you're able to piece together thanks to the massive banners and stands. Some of you might join one club, others might join two, and if you're really bored, three. Some of you may stick with it until your third-year, like me, or change clubs after a week. I'm a part of the swimming team," she glances at You subtly. "but no matter which clubs you choose, it will be important for your life in Uranohoshi. So please take this seriously."

She shuffles in position for a second before continuing. "And, I have one more announcement. Today marks my last day as the active student council president. You might still see me occasionally, but you'll be seeing my successor more often from now on. Even though most of you have only known me for a week, I do apologize if I've made any mistakes in that short time." She, along with the other third-years, lower their heads in a bow. She maintains that position for a few seconds before straightening up. "As such, I wish to make a selfish request. If any of you experience any issues today, anything at all, _please_ don't hesitate to come to me. Even though it's my last day here, I want to help as many of you as possible. So with that, I hope that you'll help me make my last day as memorable as possible."

Some people clap their hands as Kanan finishes her speech. "Now then," Kanan continues. "That's everything I have to say. Thank you for your attention, and I hope you all have a good day." She says before leaving, followed by the others.

"So, what do you want to do now, zura?" Hanamaru asks, more to Ruby than to her. "I think we can do whatever we want now, right?"

"Well, kind of." Ruby taps her finger against the desk nervously. "There are gonna be performances by certain clubs, so we'll be going to the auditorium later."

"What kind of clubs?" You asks curiously.

"Dance, choir, stuff like that. Oh, and the school idol club, obviously. Sis is really excited about it."

"I can't wait to watch it, zura!" Hanamaru says excitedly. "When are they going to perform?"

"I...think it's around 4?" Ruby replies cautiously. "It's not set in stone, though."

"Well, that's later, right? Let's just have fun for now."

The three first-years walk out of class, making small talk as they do. And for the first time since meeting them, You is enveloped with a sense of belonging

The student council room is devoid of sound. None of the current occupants are speaking to each other, content with finishing their respective tasks. Chika is staring at the lyrics of their song, her attempts at memorizing them falling apart whenever she gets distracted by something. Dia is finishing some paperwork, her eyes locked onto the tiny black writing on the sheets of paper.

The atmosphere is calm and serene, at least in comparison to the shouting match that had happened only a day ago, it's like a different place entirely.

Yoshiko steps into the room, noticing her friends already waiting for her. She joins them sitting around the table in the middle of the room. Student council paperwork has been hastily pushed aside, leaving the table empty except for a blank piece of paper.

"Everyone's here. Good." Dia taps her pen against the table. "First of all, Yoshiko?"

"Hmph, don't underestimate me." She shows off the new outfits proudly. Chika is smiling ear-to-ear, and even Dia looks somewhat impressed by her standards. She gingerly takes hers, scrutinizing it while Yoshiko stares nervously, waiting for any kind of praise or scalding critique.

Finally, Dia nods and smiles. "I understand why you needed more time to finish them; they're beautiful. Thank you very much." Yoshiko blushes, sheepishly rubbing her neck at the compliment. "We'll have to do a quick fitting session, but my sizes are still the same, so it should be fine."

She gives the outfit back to Yoshiko, who returns it to her bag. "Now then, I just remembered that we're still missing a few things for today's performance."

Immediately, Chika and Yoshiko's expressions turn panicked. "What did we forget?"

"We need a group name, of course." Dia almost laughs when she sees relief washing over their features immediately.

"That's it?" Yoshiko asks.

"That's not _it_." Dia frowns. "It's not easy to make a name. Any respectable unit has a memorable name. It should be short and catchy, but unique above all else. A name people can chant during our victory in Love Live!"

Chika nods, knowing that Dia has a point; even today, the name Muse is known by every aspiring school idol across Japan. "So, Dia-chan, do you have any ideas?"

"...not really." She admits, embarrassed. "I was thinking that we should just throw around ideas until something sticks."

"Hold on," Yoshiko interrupts, to Dia's mild annoyance. "How did muse get their name?"

"I think they asked for suggestions from the school body." Chika chips in.

"But they used the suggestion from Nozomi-san." Dia corrects. "In the end, the name came from a member of the group. So don't even _think_ about asking someone else to make a name for us."

"And here I was thinking of using a name generator online," Yoshiko says sarcastically. "Well, how should we start?"

"The name should be significant to us." The other two members nod in agreement at Dia's suggestion. "So we should think of what's important to all of us and put it into the name."

The three girls fall silent, racking their brains for something that fits that criteria. Yoshiko and Dia are almost exact opposites to each other, making it hard for Yoshiko to find something in common.

Dia seems to be struggling as well, her brow furrowed in concentration. Only Chika speaks up after an entire minute.

"Uchiura." She says with certainty, the other two facing her with curious stares. "We all live here, so it's important for all of us, right?"

"It's as good a start as any." Dia concedes. "Now we have to narrow it down. What reminds you of Uchiura?"

"The sea, obviously." Yoshiko quickly points out. "I mean, I don't go to the beach often and I know how important it is. That's gotta mean something."

"Then we need to think of a name connected to the sea..." Dia trails off as the three think of new ideas. Just like before, Chika is the first to speak out.

"Three Mermaids!" She exclaims her idea loudly. "It's a combination of the sea and the people of Uchiura."

"And what do we do when we get new members?" Dia asks. "Changing the name of the group is usually not a good thing, even if it's something minor like that. Our name should remain constant in spite of roster changes."

"Mermaids of Uchiura?" Yoshiko offers tentatively. "Although it doesn't sound that catchy..."

"But you're on to something. We shouldn't specify an exact number that represents the number of members."

"So you mean we have to use stuff like 'we' and 'us'?" Dia nods. "That's gonna be tough..."

"And something about water..." Chika trails off. "Our Sea? Wait, that's not catchy enough."

"What's another word we can we use for sea?" Dia asks. "Water? _Mizu_? Aqua?"

"Aqua!" Chika exclaims with a bright smile. "I like it! What about Our Aqua?"

"It still sounds a bit weird...," Yoshiko mumbles. "What if we flip the order? Aqua Our? The last part of Aqua kinda sounds like the start of Our, so we can combine the sound to make it smoother."

"Aqua-our." Dia tentatively says. "Or is it A-q-ours? It's a bit hard to say."

"How do you even say it?" Chika asks. Dia takes the paper in front of her and scribbles a few letters on it before showing it back to Chika. She squints as she tries to read the English letters, carefully wording it out. "That's really hard. Why don't we just call it Aqua? I like how it sounds."

"But this one looks better written," Dia argues. "Having it look foreign and unpronounceable will make it seem sophisticated. Also, writing our name in English immediately makes it stand out."

"I think you got it mixed up, Dia. I can't remember any group with a Japanese name. If we wanted to stand out, we should use a traditional name." Dia opens her mouth to argue but closes it when she realizes that Chika has a point.

"Or...we can combine it." Yoshiko suggests, "We can write it one way but pronounce it another."

"That...can work," Dia says, slowly raising her hand. "All in favor of the name?" The other two smile, raising their hands as well. "Then it's settled. From now on, we will officially go by the name Aqours."

"Alright!" Chika cheers, grinning widely. "Aqours! I love it!"

" How perfect. This fallen angel deems this name worthy of use," Yoshiko chuckles, her voice deepening. "And with that, we are ready to show the mortal realm of our capabilities."

"Not yet." Dia stops them before they stand up. "There's...one more thing to discuss." She sighs, mentally bracing herself. "We need a leader."

Chika's eyes light up almost immediately. "Oh, that's easy! It's gotta be Dia, right?" Dia's face contorts with guilt, something the other two notice.

"I've been thinking about that." Unlike normal, she speaks in a small voice. "I don't think I should be the leader."

"What?" Dia shrinks back even more.

"I believe that I shouldn't be the leader. After everything I did...I don't deserve it."

Chika leans forward, until she's staring at Dia. "But we've forgiven you for that." Dia shakes her head, not budging an inch.

"Even now, I don't know what caused me to lash out like that. What if it happens again? What if my actions damage our reputation? It's better for the group if I'm not the leader."

Silence falls on the room as Chika and Dia stare at each other, the former's fists clenched in frustration. "Didn't you say that you wanted to lead your own school idol group? Are you really going to throw away that chance?"

Dia hesitates, but nods again. "I don't deserve it, doesn't matter how much I want it." She pauses, then continues with a more hopeful tone. "Maybe one day I will, but...not today. Just...please don't make me the leader."

Chika returns to her seat, unsatisfied with Dia's response.

"Then, I think Chika should be the leader." Yoshiko voices her opinion, much to the surprise of the orange-haired girl.

"What?"

"Yes, that's actually what I was about to suggest." Dia also chips in. Chika frantically looks at them before shaking her head.

"N-no way," she says. "I'm too normal. There's no way I can be the leader."

"Who said you're too normal?" Yoshiko asks, almost angrily.

"Well, compared to you two..." she manages to mumble before being cut off.

"You're amazing, Chika," Dia says as if she was stating a fact. "You're quite amazing, in my opinion. If anyone of us here deserves to lead Aqours, it would be you."

When Chika doesn't respond, Dia puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Chika, do you know what I thought when I first saw Muse?" Chika looks confused by the sudden change of topic, shaking her head. "I thought Eli should've been the leader instead of Honoka."

"But yesterday, I put a lot of thought into it, and I realized something. Eli isn't really fit to be a leader, either. She can't solve conflicts within the group very well, even though she's supposed to be mature. In fact, there are times when she's the one who causes the conflicts. On the other hand, Honoka can unite people, no matter how different they are. Umi and Kotori are quite different, but they're all friends thanks to Honoka."

She turns to face Chika, who's even more confused. "You're just like that. I and Yoshiko are incredibly different, but we became friends because of you. When we were fighting, you remained calm and helped us resolve our problems. That's amazing. _You're_ amazing, Chika. You're the only person who can do this."

Chika stares at Dia, then at Yoshiko. She tells herself that there's no way she can do it. After all, she's just a normal monster with no talents whatsoever. She's not as skilled as Dia with her many talents, or as creative as Yoshiko with her fallen angel self. Heck, she doesn't think she's any good at singing or dancing either, to be honest.

But somewhere, deep down, Chika can't deny that she _wants_ to be the leader. She's just scared. She's scared of not being able to fulfill everyone's expectations. She's scared of crumbling underneath responsibilities. She's scared of making a fool of herself and ruining the good name of Uranohoshi and Uchiura.

She stares back at her two friends, both of them giving her their full support. "...I'm still really not sure if I'm the right person." She sighs, but stands up. "But if you two are really sure, then I'm gonna give it everything I got!" She clenches her fists, determination clearly showing. "I'll be the leader of Aqours!"

She's scared. But maybe, just maybe, she can do it. As long as her friends are behind her, she'll do everything she can.


	16. Impact

Dia whistles softly as the three members of Aqours step out into the field, sunlight warming her body. They had decided to get some fresh air before doing final preparations, something that in Dia's opinion was a waste of time. Now that she's out here, however, it does feel nice. She wishes they'll be able to hold a performance out here soon.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Yoshiko asks while staring directly at the sun, no clouds obstructing her view. As always, Dia quickly takes action.

"Don't do that, you'll ruin your eyesight."

"Okay, mom." Dia scowls. "I'm just happy...that my bad luck isn't so bad today."

"Bad luck?" Chika asks. "What do you mean by that?" Yoshiko visibly flinches at the question.

"Nothing. What do you mortals call it again...a Freudian slip, that's what it was." Chika continues staring at her until she relents with a sigh. "Just...something that happens occasionally." _More like every time_. "Usually it would rain whenever I want to do something outdoors."

"Oh." Chika nods, putting on a thoughtful expression. "I see. So...in other words." Chika poses the way Yoshiko would whenever she's in fallen angel mode. "A god has cursed you since birth, sending holy water from the heavens in order to keep your power in check." She says with a knowing smile gracing her features. "Did I get that right?"

"Huh?" Yoshiko blushes at Chika's fallen angel act. Somehow, it makes her seem a lot cooler than usual. "T-that's the gist of it, yes."

"Then don't worry!" Chika giggles. "You can borrow some of my good luck!"

"What?" The idea is absolutely insane, even by Yoshiko's standards. Chika is unfazed by Yoshiko's blatant confusion.

"And I'm sure Dia wouldn't mind sharing some of her luck too!" Said dark-haired girl tenses up at her name, then begins to scratch at the mole on her face.

"I don't have that much luck either." She shrugs. "Buuuut, I suppose I can help relieve you of your misfortune."

"Wait a second, you two can't do that," Yoshiko says indignantly. "It would be unfitting for a fallen angel of my caliber to burden you with such a powerful curse."

"Oh?" Chika smirks mischievously. "Are you sure? Aren't we your little demons? Wasn't it our job to help you in any way we can?"

"U-uhm," Yoshiko stutters, "I changed my mind! Yohane can handle this herself." She hears Dia sighing.

"Give up, Chika's too fired up to quit now." She smiles as well. "Just accept our gift."

"That's right! So please borrow our power, Yohane-sama!" Chika beams at her, and Yoshiko remembers why she likes Chika so much as her heart threatens to burst out of her chest. _She's so nice!_ And when Dia is her smiling, more laid-back self, she gives off a similar feeling.

"...you two are weird. That's so dumb," she says, confidence filling her tone. "Fine. If you want it so badly, then Yohane will accept your gift."

"Great! And in return," Chika grabs Yoshiko's arm and begins dragging her towards the auditorium. "Yohane can help us with preparations. Isn't that right, Dia?"

Dia nods, looking as smug as ever. It takes a while for the gears in Yoshiko's head to begin turning, but when they do she tries to break free of Chika's grasp. "Y-you tricked me! You can have your stupid luck back."

"Sorry, no refunds," Dia answers seriously. "You'll just have to suck it up."

Yoshiko sighs as Chika continues to lead her by the arm, trying not to focus on the physical contact. "I don't feel very lucky right now."

"I do~," Chika says in a sing-song tone. "I know something good's gonna happen! I can just feel it. No bad luck here."

Even though that sounds like the opposite of Yoshiko's experiences throughout her life, she can't help but smile at her friend's optimism. "We'll see."

"There you are!"

The three first-years had been walking aimlessly when someone approaches You from behind, putting their hands on her shoulder. As the three turn to face the newcomer, You smiles brightly while the other two stare at her in awe.

"Kanan-chan!" You greets the blue-haired girl, shocking Hanamaru with how informally she addressed her.

"You-chan." She returns the smile before turning her gaze towards Ruby, the redhead letting out a squeak as she locks eyes with Kanan. "Ruby-chan, good to see you. It's been a while since we talked normally, hasn't it?"

"Y-yes!" She stutters. "Uhh, it's been a while, Kanan-san." Kanan chuckles, causing Ruby to turn bright red.

"You don't have to be so formal, Ruby-chan. Dia isn't here right now." Ruby nods, and Kanan finally turns towards the last person. She remains silent, putting on a contemplative expression while Hanamaru sweats under the attention. Then, Kanan snaps her fingers. "Then you must be Kunikida-san, am I right?"

"Yes, I'm Kunikida Hanamaru. Pleased to meet you, zura." The words hang in the air as Hanamaru processes what she had said. "Wait, I meant-"

"Don't worry, it's your verbal tic, right? I know about it." Kanan walks towards her, offering her hand, which Hanamaru takes. "Matsuura Kanan, although I guess you already knew that. I've heard a lot of things about you."

"Really, zura?" Hanamaru looks happy, but You notices that Ruby is sweating profusely.

"Yep!" Kanan says, grinning. "Ruby talked about you a lot whenever I came over. _A lot_." She emphasizes.

"Kanan-chan, please don't..." Ruby moans, covering her reddening face with her hand. Hanamaru looks equally embarrassed. The reactions only fuel Kanan to continue.

"Did you know that the reason Ruby wanted to be moved up a year was so she can be in the same year as you?" Kanan asks, the teasing smile still etched on her face. Now even more embarrassed, Ruby launches herself at Kanan, trying to cover her mouth using her hands.

"Don't listen to her, Hanamaru-chan! Kanan-chan, you're just a big liar. I never said anything like that!" She shouts, eliciting loud laughter from Kanan. "Stop laughing, this isn't funny."

"It's kind of funny," Kanan replies, out of breath from laughing so much. "You're a lot more forward nowadays, aren't cha?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ruby pouts, crossing her arms.

Kanan hums, ruffling Ruby's hair as the redhead tries to maintain a neutral expression. "Yeah, you're kinda like your sister in that way. I just hope you don't become as much of a workaholic as she is."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ruby says genuinely. "Thanks, Kanan-chan!"

"Of course, Ruby-chan. Anything for my favorite underclassman."

"Wait a minute, _favorite_?" You interrupts, seeming to have taken offense to Kanan's statement. "What about me?"

"I don't even like you most of the time," Kanan replies jokingly. "Same with Chika. Both of you are too much of a sh- too much to handle most of the time." She corrects herself after realizing that cursing in front of Ruby is a big no-no.

"What about Sis?" Ruby asks curiously.

"Second favorite," Kanan assures, Ruby giving her a wide smile at the answer. "And Kunikida-san, even though I only met you today, I already like you a lot, so you're number three." She then adds, "Especially since Ruby-chan is so fond of you."

Ruby hurriedly changes the subject, "By the way, why are you here Kanan-chan? I thought you'd be in the student council room."

"Well, You-chan here," She clasps the girl's shoulder, "told me she wanted to sign up for the swimming team, but for _some reason_ kept forgetting to take the form from the student council room."

"Oh..." Now that You thinks about it, she remembers having a talk like that with Kanan. But the following days were so hectic that she completely forgot about that. "Right. I forgot about that."

"And this is why you're not my favorite underclassman," Kanan says, laughing at You's displeasure. "So, you're still interested, right? I can help you sign up right now."

You sighs. "Sure, I guess." Gleefully, Kanan leads the three first-years towards a nearby booth. After a brief conversation with the girls managing it, they hand You a form and a pen, which she quickly fills out. The process is quick, and when she's done she can feel an encouraging pat on her back.

"See, wasn't that easy?" Kanan asks. "Doesn't take more than a few minutes. You must've been really busy if you can't even spare that much time to come to the student council room and fill it out."

"I wasn't busy, I just forgot about it," You says, although both are just as bad.

"Either way, thanks for joining! And just so you know, I was lying about before. You and Chika are my 35th favorite underclassman."

"Thanks, I guess." Kanan gives her one last pat on the back before walking away.

"Woah," Hanamaru whispers. "Matsuura-san is really cool, zura."

"You think so?" You shrugs as the three begin to wander around again. "I guess I'm used to hanging out with her, so she isn't really that cool to me."

Still, You remembers when she was younger and saw Kanan as an older role model, unlike Chika who was also older, but not exactly respectable. And at that time, she probably thought Kanan was indeed cool. So Hanamaru does have a point.

"Did you do something to make her mad? She kept joking about not liking you. I-it was a joke, right zura?"

"Yeah, it was just a joke." You waves off the concern. "Plus, it's not that bad. At least I'm number 35 in her books." 

"Do you know how many first and second-years there are?" You gives her an inquiring look. "36. So the two of you are tied for last."

 _Dammit. She didn't notice that_. Ruby looks like she hadn't known about it either. "That's not a lot of people, huh?"

"No," Hanamaru says, almost solemnly. "I wonder how many people are gonna apply next year? I hope it's more than this year."

Ruby nods, but seems different, somehow. Like there's something she's hiding. Since Dia is her sister, maybe she knows something they don't?

"Well, we can only hope for the best, right?" You offers. "It's a nice place. I'm sure more people will come if they know about it."

"Yeah," Ruby smiles. "You're right. We shouldn't be worried; let's stop talking about this."

"Oh, let's see the other clubs, zura!" The three of them find themselves agreeing with Hanamaru's idea, and they continue to walk around, checking out all of the stands and going to the cafeteria when they finally get bored.

Hours pass until Kanan's voice blares through the school's sound system, announcing that the club performances are about to begin. Ruby was practically shaking in her seat in anticipation of it, something You found both funny and endearing. They quickly made their way to the auditorium, wanting to get a nice spot to watch from. Luckily, they're able to stand right in front of the makeshift stage, waiting for the performances to officially start.

While Ruby excitedly talks with Hanamaru about school idols, You sees a flash of crimson in the corner of her vision. A second-year stands to her left, her red ribbon causing her to stand out in a sea of first-years. You recalls seeing her before, although she struggles to remember her name. "Sakurauchi-san?"

The crimson-haired girl freezes up, slowly turning her head to the source of the voice. When her eyes meet You's, she furrows her brow as if attempting to remember her as well. "Watanabe-san?"

"That's me!" You grins, trying to lighten up the mood. Riko seems relieved that she got her name right, her shoulders relaxing. "Didn't expect to see you here. Usually the second-years are the ones running the show."

"Well it's not like I'm a member of a club, so I'm in the same position you are."

"Oh, right." You blushes, sheepishly rubbing her neck. "You're a new transfer, right? How's Uranohoshi?"

Riko shrugs, her gaze wandering back to the stage. "I've only been here for a week, so I don't think I can form a solid opinion on it just yet."

"But what's your first impression?" You asks, hoping that she's not being too much of a nuisance, especially since they're pretty much strangers.

"It's...different," Riko mumbles out. "Compared to Tokyo. That's where I come from. It's a lot quieter, so I prefer it here."

"Oh, so you're more of a quiet person?" She nods, and You feels even guiltier now. She probably isn't even interested in talking. But she hopes that Riko will forgive her, because You would rather die than stand awkwardly fiddling her thumbs or third-wheel Hanamaru and Ruby. "I guess you're pretty close with Kurosawa-san?"

Riko seems to put some thought before answering. "Somewhat. She's the one who asked me to watch their performance, but I don't think she'd consider us as friends. I believe it's just her showing her appreciation for letting her borrow my piano."

"I remember Dia saying that yesterday." Riko's eyes snap open, staring at You with a mixture of shock and awe.

"You're on a first-name basis with her?"

You shrugs. "I guess so, but it's mostly because of Chika." At that, Riko looks understanding.

"Well, she's a nice person, even if she's a bit too forward." You nods in agreement. "Her and Yoshiko-san. They've both been very kind to me in my first week. Even though I've rarely interacted with people other than those three, they seem to be nice."

Before You can respond, the sound of a microphone turning on from somewhere fills the room. In the middle of talking, more first-years have entered the room, but there's still a lot of empty space. Once everyone is quiet, the blonde headmistress from before steps up on stage. Her smile wavers slightly when she sees the number of people in front of her, but it quickly returns twice as strong. "Everyone! _Good morning!_ I hope you've all had a _shiny_ day."

Murmurs of confusion spread through the small crowd, which are quickly silenced when the headmistress continues. "As you can see, we have a few very _beautiful_ performances from the clubs of Uranohoshi. First, let's give a round of applause for the Choir Club!" She exits the stage as another group steps up. Hanamaru's paying extra attention to them, as she's considering whether or not it's worth it to join.

Club after club finishes up their demonstrations, all of them eliciting a positive response. Hanamaru says that she'll join the choir, but might join other clubs that pique her interest. Ruby is still restless, while Riko looks...bored?

But finally, it's time for the performance they've been waiting for. The curtains part and three girls step forward. Chika stands in the middle, Dia to her right, and Yoshiko to her left. She hears Ruby letting out a shocked gasp when they walk out in their outfits, and You admits that she's also surprised by how good it looks. It seems like all the effort she and Yoshiko put into it didn't go to waste. Riko, however, seems concerned more than anything else. "Aren't those skirts way too short?"

"I think they're wearing shorts underneath." You says, although warmth spreads to her cheeks as she imagines what a disaster that could be.

Chika steps forward, drawing the stares of everyone in the crowd as she does so. "We're school idols. The three of us are..." She pauses, and when she continues all three of them speak at the same time. "Aqours! We're pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Today, we're going to be performing a song for everyone. Please listen." She nods towards the person managing the sound, and the three of them get into position. She holds her breath, waiting in anticipation until the first notes ring out.

"Sparkle! I noticed the new thrill in my heart. Because of you, standing there in front of me."

"As long as I've got love, I'll be okay!"

The music fades out as the three idols pose one last time, panting quietly. Ruby is the first to clap, then You and Hanamaru. Riko stares on in amazement before she remembers to clap as well, and finally, the applause spreads through the room. Chika turns around to face the other two, and from You's position she can barely hear what she says.

"See?" She exclaims. "What did I tell you? No bad luck here!" You smiles at that, watching the three girls on stage grinning ear-to-ear. They face the crowd and bow before leaving the stage.

"Hey Ruby?" The redhead stares at You. "I'm gonna go for a bit, can you watch my spot?" She nods, You saying a quick thanks before running off backstage.

"Good luck!" She hears Chika shout to the next club. Her eyes light up with joy when she sees You. "You, come here!"

She doesn't have to, though; Chika runs over to her, pulling her into a big hug. "Ew, gross, you're all sweaty." Chika frowns, but continues to hug You. Dia and Yoshiko approach her as well, clearly satisfied with their performance.

"So, did you see us?" Chika asks. "Did we wow you? Did you immediately think 'I want to join this club right now'?"

You giggles, nodding to all of Chika's questions. "Alright, I get it. I'm gonna join the club."

"Thank you so much!" Chika hugs her even tighter, and Yoshiko decides to join in on the hug. After some prodding, Dia joins in as well. "Let's commemorate the occasion. Let's take a picture together! Hey, Mutsu!" A brown-haired girl turns around to face them. "Can you take a picture of us?"

"Sure!" She smiles, walking over to them. "Uhm, whose phone should I use?"

"Here, use mine." You hands over her phone as they get into position, Chika in the very middle. They take a few pictures before Mutsu returns You's phone. "Thanks a lot!"

"No problem. That was a great show, you three. Keep it up!" She congratulates the three school idols before walking away, helping her friends manage the other performances.

"I'll send you three the pictures later, okay?" You says.

"Perfect! I'll add you to the group chat, and..." She trails off, realization slowly dawning on her face. "I left the sign-up form on the stand...I'll give it to you tomorrow?" 

"Sure, I'll be heading back out now." She runs back, returning to where the rest of her friends are. She thanks Ruby for guarding her spot before turning her attention to the stage. The Drama Club had already started their act, performing a short play that helped soothe everyone's nerves after the energetic live.

But as the performances wind down, You notices something odd. It started off as a small suspicion that grew as more clubs took their turn. By the time all of the performances are finished and Mari goes back on stage to end off the day on a high note, she knows that something is wrong.

Yoshiko has a lot of explaining to do.

"And then, did you see how high we jumped? I'm so glad we decided to wear shorts."

After saying their goodbyes to the others, Yoshiko and You walk towards the bus stop together, although for Yoshiko it seemed more like a march. The earlier success has kept her mood high, and even after the tiring performance she seems energetic, like she's ready to do it again.

The same couldn't be said about You. The energetic girl is deep in thought, too calm compared to her usual personality. Eventually, Yoshiko couldn't take it. "Okay, what gives?"

"Huh?" The pair stops walking as they reach the bus stop. Yoshiko looks at You expectantly. "Sorry, I guess I'm a bit out of it."

"What's wrong?" She asks, and You can't tell whether Yoshiko is irate, concerned, or something entirely different. "Aren't you happy? We did it, You. Our hard work didn't go to waste. _Everyone_ was talking about us. So what gives?"

You stays silent at first, but eventually reveals the question on her mind. "Are you actually happy, Yoshiko-chan?"

"What?" Yoshiko stares at You as if she was crazy. "Of course I am! What would make you think that I'm unhappy?"

"You're a member of the Supernatural Activity Club, aren't you? That's what you told me." Yoshiko grimaces. "I noticed that the club didn't have a stand or a performance. It's like you're giving up on it."

"Well, you're not that far off," Yoshiko answers with a sigh. The bus arrives, and they quickly get on. It's a bit more crowded than usual as people return home from work, but luckily, their usual seats are empty. "Don't think too much about it. The club's gonna get disbanded, even if I did do something. It wasn't exactly popular."

You continues to ask questions. "Why? I thought you liked being in that club."

"I-I do, but...I just didn't have time to get anything ready. I barely finished the outfits for the performance on time, do you really think I had time to set up something?"

"You could've asked for my help."

"Well, I didn't want your help." You flinches. "Sorry, that came out wrong. I mean, it doesn't involve you, so I didn't want you to work overtime just to help with the club."

"I wouldn't have minded," You argues. "I had a lot of free time."

"And I know that," Yoshiko replies, her tone exasperated. "You're really nice, You. And it kinda felt like I'd be using you. You're already a big help with Aqours, I couldn't bother you with something so selfish like my own club."

"Because it doesn't involve me?" Yoshiko nods. "So would it be fine if it did involve me?"

Yoshiko faces You, her expression unreadable. "What do you mean by that?"

"Weeellll." You smiles. "I'd be splitting my time between swimming, Aqours, and this, but I want to help you with the Supernatural Club, too. It seems like fun."

Yoshiko goes silent, then looks away from You. "...are you sure?"

"Yep!" You places her hand on Yoshiko's shoulder, causing her to return her gaze to You.

"I feel like I don't deserve to be this selfish."

"Now you're just spouting nonsense." You shakes her head. "You're the exact opposite of selfish. I mean, look at everything you did for Aqours! You deserve to be selfish every once in a while."

You pulls back. "Besides, I like spending time with you. It'll be fun, okay? For now, it'll just be the two of us. I'll make you an angel outfit that you can use for the club, or something."

Yoshiko snorts at the weird nickname You's given her. "I'm a fallen angel, get it right." Yoshiko opens her bag and pulls out a sheet of paper, handing it to you. "The club form. Just write down your name there," She says, also handing You a pen. "...thanks You."

You signs her name on the paper, increasing the number of members from one to two.

"That's what friends are for, right?"

 _A single drop of a smile_

 _Diffuses into happiness_


	17. Improvement

Although it's only been a week since she actually met You, Yoshiko thinks she's got a pretty good idea of her character. Although it would be a gross oversimplification of their characters, she feels like it wouldn't be amiss to compare her to Chika. They're energetic and passionate about the things they enjoy. They like helping people, but also somewhat self-sacrificing. If they were in an anime, You would fit a lot of cliches. The childhood friend, the girl next-door, the energetic sports-loving girl, and the popular girl.

There are, obviously, a few things about You that Yoshiko doesn't think she'll ever know the answers to. Like whether or not she actually has a _senpai_ -complex. Still, she feels like she understands You enough to at least make an accurate guess (yes).

However, the You she saw on Monday morning seemed...off. She still smiled and did that salute she did often when they saw each other, but other than a brief greeting they barely talked to each other. And it's not like Yoshiko wasn't _trying_. They had a lot to talk about! They could talk about boring things like the weather and schoolwork, or something more exciting like the new popularity of Aqours, or what they can do to revive the Supernatural Club. Every time she tried to start a conversation, You would follow along for a few minutes before getting distracted again. It's more than a little frustrating.

Her mood didn't improve when she got off the bus, either. They just walked together in awkward silence before parting ways, Yoshiko heading to her class where Chika and Dia were waiting. Today, it seemed like they were the center of the conversation, something Yoshiko couldn't be happier for. Riko had come over to them to congratulate them personally, and seemed at least receptive to the idea of helping them write more songs. Other than You, no one else had signed up yet, but that's fine. If they continued to impress, more people will come. Chika and Dia know this very well, already tossing ideas back and forth for their next live.

All things considered, today is a fantastic day. She just hopes You will be back to normal sooner than later.

By lunch break, You still isn't back to normal. In fact, Yoshiko might think that she's gotten worse. Her, Chika, and Dia were waiting in the schoolyard when You arrived. Apparently, she forgot her lunch at home. After refusing their offers to share their lunch, she runs towards the cafeteria while promising she'll return soon. As soon as she's gone, Dia glares at Yoshiko. She's not the only one who realizes that You isn't her usual self

"Yoshiko, did you do something to her?" She asks, suspecting the worst.

"Why would you think that?" Yoshiko did nothing wrong, of course. She's innocent, and she tries to get that fact across to Dia, who is still glaring. "Look at me! I couldn't hurt her if I tried!" It's humiliating to admit that a first-year probably could kick her ass in a fight, but she's worried that Dia would actually kick her ass.

"You're the one who takes the bus with her every day, so I thought you had something to do with it."

"Well, I don't. She's been like that all morning. Even I don't know why." The two turn to face the third person in the group, who's biting down on two slices of mikan simultaneously. She realizes that all of the attention is on her and nervously gulps down the fruit before asking.

"What?"

"Chika, do you know the reason You is acting like this?" Dia asks, hopefully. "It can't be that she's sick of us already, right?" Chika pauses, seeming to ponder the possibility of such a scenario before shaking her head.

"Nah. I think it's just because her dad left." Yoshiko's jaw drops, as well as Dia's.

"What?!" She exclaims far too loudly. "Her dad left?" Chika nods, and the other two feel a heavy weight settling in their chest. This feels like something personal, far too personal to be casually mentioned in a conversation in public. But both of them are curious, and Yoshiko takes the risk by asking the question. "D-did something happen between him and You's mom?"

Chika gives Yoshiko a flat stare, before bursting out into laughter, startling Yoshiko and Dia. Wiping a tear from her cheek, she grins at them. "That's not what I meant, silly!" She says, close to another bout of laughter. "Her dad is a boat captain, so he's back to work. Didn't I tell you two about this before?"

"I think you remember telling us that in the past." Dia says calmly, as if she hadn't been panicking as well. "I see. That's understandable."

"Yep," Chika says while chewing on another mikan slice. "Her dad usually isn't even around at the start of the school year. But since she's starting high school, he decided to take an entire week off to see her. Usually he only comes back in summer and winter."

Unfortunately, they're unable to continue their conversation as You returns soon after with a few sandwiches. The way she's acting makes more sense now that they know the reason behind it. Yoshiko's surprised that she didn't notice it before, but You looks more lonely rather than sad. It's an expression she knows very well; the same expression she sometimes sees on her own face.

She knows exactly what You needs right now.

On the bus ride home, Yoshiko confronts You about it.

"I heard from Chika," she says, finally getting You to look at her. "You dad's heading out to sea, right? That's why you're a lot...quieter today."

"Yeah." You smiles wistfully. "Sorry. I guess it isn't really much fun sitting with me when I don't really answer to anything."

"Don't worry." You nods, and the two fall back into silence. You stares out of the window, while Yoshiko stares at You, concerned. "...would you mind if I talk?" She asks. "You can just listen. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." You doesn't object, so Yoshiko continues.

"I kinda get what you're feeling. I don't see my dad a whole lot either, and my mom always works late. We'd probably have dinner together and then go to bed." You turns around, facing her as if asking her to continue. "In fact, I can even remember a few times when she missed Christmas and New Years."

"That sucks," You says, surprising Yoshiko. She thought You would stay quiet for the entire ride. She continues.

"My mom isn't happy about it either. But there's not really anything she can do about it. I'm sure your dad feels the same."

She coughs, wracking her brain for the best way to articulate her thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is, if something is bothering you, you can definitely tell me about it. You keep listening to me talk about my problems, and it feels unfair that it's only one-way. Besides, I'm supposed to be your upperclassman, and I want you to rely on me sometimes."

You doesn't respond, and Yoshiko assumes the worst scenario. "B-but, you don't _have_ to," she says dismissively. "I'm just saying that it's bad to let those kinds of feelings pile up, and it wouldn't be good if my loyal little demon was distracted by those kinds of things. So you should-" You giggles, and Yoshiko decides to stop talking.

"Thanks, Yohane," You smiles genuinely for the first time today. "I'm glad to hear it. Really." Her words cause a smile to appear on Yoshiko's features as well. The conversation dies out, but this time the silence is warm and comfortable, two friends simply enjoying each other's comfort. In a shocking move, You breaks it. "So, I guess it gets pretty lonely at your place, huh?"

"Unfortunately." Yoshiko replies curtly.

"Well, even though you don't need my help with sewing or anything right now...do you want to come over to my house? I got chocolate."

Yoshiko's eyes widen, but she agrees without hesitation.

Maybe You wasn't the only one who needed some company. Maybe they're both helping each other out.

The students of Uranohoshi live peaceful lives. After a stressful first week at school for juniors and Club Day preparation for sophomores, they're eager to relax. Seniors are enjoying their last months of freedom before starting cram school and focusing on exams. Even with the possibility of their school shutting down looming over them, few know how dire the situation actually is.  
Within the halls of Uranohoshi, there's one room that has become forgotten over time. Its lack of general use and absence of people entering and exiting has caused students to ignore it. But today, the room has two people occupying it.  
"The constant developments in Numazu are unpredictable and ever-changing, so to assume that Uranohoshi would become irrelevant within the time span of a few years is utterly insane."  
Kanan sits on one of the many comfortable chairs in the room, watching as Mari performs an oration. The normally carefree expression on her face has been replaced by a steely, yet fiery gaze as she speaks loudly and passionately.

As she finishes her speech, Kanan claps her hand. "So, was it good?" Mari asks, smiling.

"A lot better than last time."

Mari frowns. "But still not good enough, right?" Both knew the answer already, but Kanan nods nonetheless. She lets out a tired sigh, collapsing onto her plush seat. "...I need more practice."

"What you need is a break." Kanan interjects, standing up and walking over to Mari. "You've been practicing this speech for four hours now."

"The speech has to be perfect, Kanan." Mari mutters. "The fate of the school rests on it. I have to take this seriously."

"When is the presentation, by the way?" Kanan asks as she goes to the water dispenser, filling a cup with water; Mari must be thirsty after reciting the speech so many times.

"This week. I'll be meeting up with all of the board members and see if I can get them to cancel the merging." She sighs again, closing her eyes. "It's stressful. They don't take me seriously because I'm just a high school student." She clenches her fists above the table. "...they say I 'don't get it' even though I love this school more than they do. It's frustrating."

"So that's why you want the speech to be perfect?" Kanan sounds impressed as she places the cup on the table. Mari thanks her, taking slow sips as she lets the cold water wet her parched throat. "Because you want them to take you seriously?"

"Yes. It's alright, since it's for Uranohoshi."

"Then..." Kanan points to herself. "Why did you ask me to help?"

"Two reasons." Mari smiles. "You're the former student council president. You have experience when it comes to making speeches."

"I'm not _that_ good." She answers bashfully. "And the second reason?"

"Because you're my friend." She stares at Mari, asking her to continue. "Dia is...serious, but she thinks of us as her older sisters. I'm worried she won't be honest when judging me. Also..." Mari looks out of the window, staring at nothing in particular. "...I don't want her to worry too much."

Kanan pauses, realizing that Mari has changed more than she originally thought. She's not the same girl she remembers from childhood. Hell, Kanan might argue that she's not the same girl who left Uchiura over a year ago.

 _Still_ , she thinks, _some things never change_. She goes around the table, standing behind Mari before patting her on the shoulder. That seems to do the trick, as Mari's pulled out of her thoughts, her eyes looking at Kanan questioningly. "You've always cared about her a lot. You're like her mom."

"Ehhh?! No way!" Mari laughs. "I'm nowhere near old enough. Besides, ever since we were kids, you're more like her mom."

"Aren't I younger than you?" Kanan laughs as well, smiling as Mari's normally cheerful expression returns. She's still the same happy-go-lucky girl, but she's learned when to be serious now.

"So, do you want to start practicing again?" Mari nods, turning towards a piece of paper on her desk. There are scribbles and words all over it as Mari made corrections through the course of a few hours. Kanan leans over Mari's shoulder to look at it, not noticing the blonde tensing up and her cheeks becoming flushed. "So, I think you should change this part here."

"Oh?" Mari asks, her voice an octave higher than normal. "W-why is that?"

"Since you want to be taken seriously, it would be better to use polite words. When we're not sure, better safe than sorry." She then points towards the last part. "Also here. They won't appreciate you calling their decision 'utterly insane'. I think a word like 'asinine' would be better."

"You do know they mean the same thing, right?"

"That's exactly why we should change it," Kanan says. "Since they mean the same thing, the point of your sentence doesn't change. But I think one sounds more polite."

"I see..."

As Kanan helps Mari practice her speech, she can't help but feel warmth spreading inside of her. It's almost like their childhood days, although they're missing Dia. But for now, this is okay. Even after two years of separation, their friendship hasn't changed.

That's what she thinks.

She doesn't remember feeling so much happiness just being with Mari. She doesn't remember the way Mari's quirky voice gives her goosebumps. She doesn't remember feeling happy that Dia isn't with them.

She doesn't remember her heart beating oddly when Mari is around.

...she's probably just nervous. Yeah, she's nervous for Mari's presentation, because it could decide what happens to Uranohoshi.

Nervous. That's what she's experiencing. She's just nervous.

She takes a deep breath, her eyes locked onto Mari.

She feels even warmer now.


	18. Interest

"Riko-chan!"

Riko inhales sharply, but her eyes don't stray from the...'self-published book' in her hands. If she ignores her problems, they'll go away eventually. It worked back in Otonokizaka.

"Riko-chan! Riko-chan!"

...maybe it won't work here. She takes out her phone, turning on some soothing music to help her relax. She goes from sitting to laying down on the bed, the subtle flowery scent filling her nose. Sighing in relief, she shifts her attention back to her book. The story is about to reach its climax, as the hard-headed delinquent pins the shy, mousy bookworm against the locker, placing her hand on the others chin and pulling her in closer-

"Riko-chan Riko-chan _Riko-chan_!"

She would've clenched her fists if doing so wouldn't have crumpled the pages of the book she spent quite a lot of money for. Instead, she folds the corner of the page she's on before closing it. She stands up and walks over to her balcony window, opening it much to the satisfaction of the orange-haired girl staring at her from the other side.

"There you are!" Chika giggles innocently, like she wasn't just shouting at her and distracting her less than a minute ago. "I thought you couldn't hear me. Were you asleep?"

"No," Riko mutters unenthusiastically. All she wants to do is go back into her room and indulge in her fantasies to pass the time. "Is there something you need, Taka- Chika?" Her eyes light up, and she nods eagerly.

"There is! Do you want to join Aqours?" She asks.

"E-excuse me?"

"Yeah! You know, Aqours? Our school idol club? You're an amazing piano player, we'd love to have you!"

"I already said I would consider making your songs, didn't I?".

"But that's _different,_ " Chika argues. "I bet you'd be able to make better songs if you're a part of Aqours! Not that I think your songs would be bad if you didn't join, I'm sure they'd be great either way! Although I don't play piano, so I guess I can't tell whether it's good or not. Oh, but my dad taught me how to play guitar once! I don't think I can play it now, but I can start learning again if you need-"

As Chika continues to ramble on about anything and everything, Riko becomes progressively more horrified. Perhaps she did think to herself that helping the fledgling idol group would help her get over her fear of playing piano, her fear of failure. But actually _joining_ the group is a different thing entirely. She can sing, but an idol is more than just that. She can't dance to save her life, nor can she be in the spotlight like an idol should. And the amount of comfort food she gorged on after the disaster that is her final performance means she isn't in shape either.

"-long story short, that's why I decided to start the school idol club." Riko blinks at her in confusion, which Chika takes as understanding. "So what do you think? Want to join?"

At that moment, Riko can only say two words. "I'm sorry!" She exclaims before running back into her room, shutting the balcony door and closing the blinds. Chika is left staring at the empty balcony, wondering what Riko is thinking about right now.

She'll try again tomorrow.

Tomorrow at school, Chika tries again. She waits at her seat with the School Idol Club flyer in her hand, Yoshiko and Dia giving her curious stares. When she sees Riko walking through the classroom door, she stands up and walks over to her, practically shoving the flyer into her face. "Riko-chan! Please join us!"

"I-I'm sorry!" The redhead says before running away, probably to hide until classes start. Chika can feel the gazes of everyone in class directed at her, but she pays them no attention. She sits back down.

"Chika? What are you doing?" Dia asks, seeming both annoyed and confused at the same time.

"I'm getting her to join Aqours."

"Of course." Dia scoffs as she realizes her stupid question. "And why are you doing that?"

"Because...we need a full-time composer?" Dia frowns, but agrees. Of course her mediocre playing wouldn't be enough for Aqours. They need someone who can play piano like an expert, not someone who just practiced for a week.

It still hurts to hear that she's not good enough. She wonders why.

"Then what's the plan?" Dia asks, ignoring the slight pain in her chest. "She seemed willing to help us out until today."

"It's not my fault!" Chika huffs. "I'll...try again later."

"When she comes back to class?" Yoshiko asks. "That might take a while. She'll probably wait for the teacher before she comes in. Are you sure you want to risk detention?"

Chika shakes her head. "Don't worry. I got this."

The first few classes finish uneventfully. But as lunch break begins and Riko pulls out her lunchbox, she feels a hand on her shoulder. Already knowing who it is, she isn't surprised in the slightest when she sees Chika grinning at her. "Let's eat together!"

"...why?" It's not that she doesn't _like_ Chika; she just prefers eating by herself. It doesn't seem like Chika's gonna take no for an answer.

"Come on, aren't we friends? I want you to meet the other members of Aqours." Before Riko can argue, Chika takes her arm and begins dragging her to the cafeteria. Once they're there, she leads her to a table with two other people. She realizes that Dia, the only person in Uranohoshi she's had a long, meaningful conversation with and would consider a friend, isn't here. "Dia's busy with student council stuff," Chika says as if reading her mind. She can feel herself beginning to sweat, almost not noticing when Chika tells her to sit down. She quickly does so, taking up a spot next to Yoshiko.

"H-hello, Yoshiko-san," she says. Yoshiko grins, almost cruelly, at her awkwardness, but returns the greeting. "A-and hello, Watanabe-san."

"Hello, Sakurauchi-san." You answers. Yoshiko's grin spreads to Chika as well, watching the scene in front of her with some kind of sadistic intent.

"Oh, you two know each other?" Chika asks teasingly. "As expected from someone like You."

"Chika." Without Dia, Yoshiko attempts to take on a more serious personality, but she seems close to laughing which makes it harder to take her seriously. "I-I'm sure it's not like that."

"Y-yeah." You adds. "We just...bumped into each other a few times."

"Bumped into each other? Oh, like what happens in a romance manga?"

"No!" Riko says hastily, her cheeks bright red. The three girls look at her, and she immediately regrets shouting out like that. "S-she just helped me find the student council room on my first day, and we talked to each other while waiting for your performance on Friday."

"Oh, so you two are acquainted with each other?" Like a fire to oil, Chika laps up any additional info Riko gives her. You shoots a glare at her, which makes her laugh. "Okay, I'll stop," she says, smiling. "Buuuut, since we're all friends here, shouldn't we be fine with using our first names?" She looks at Riko expectantly.

"I guess I wouldn't mind?"

"A-alright then...Riko-san." The grin returns to Chika's face after hearing the words that came out of You's mouth.

"Sorry if she's a bit awkward." Chika puts her arm around You's shoulder. "She's a bit embarrassed, since she kinda has this complex, and- uhk!" Her words are cut off as You gives her a sharp elbow to the gut.

"Stop telling people that! I don't have a complex!" She shouts, although her cheeks are tinted slightly pink.

"Anyway, I'm sure Riko doesn't mind '-chan' or no suffix at all. Same for You," Yoshiko says. Although it's fun watching things go down, she doesn't want Chika to say something that'll get herself hurt. "There, done. Riko, you can call You 'You-chan'. And You, you can call Riko 'Riko-chan'. Easy as that." She smiles. "If you two want to make gross nicknames for each other, you can think about that later," she says while moving away from Riko, who also seems like she wants to hit her.

Trying to hide her embarrassment, You clears her throat. "Then, it's nice to meet you Riko-chan."

"S-same for me, You-chan."

Even though she's in pain, Chika still manages to grin mischievously. She doesn't say anything, especially since You wouldn't stop glaring at her.

Despite the odd subject matter, Riko finds herself smiling every once in a while. The three of them plus Dia are an odd bunch of people, but it's nice. She feels like she doesn't have to put on a mask or pretend that she's someone she's not. Although she got that same feeling in Otonokizaka, and she remembers how that turned out, so maybe her intuition isn't exactly accurate.

"-you two shouldn't put someone into uncomfortable positions like that. You don't know how people are gonna react." You's voice pulls her out of her own memories. It sounds like she's scolding Chika and Yoshiko over what just happened. Riko's personality finds the idea of an underclassman admonishing an upperclassman so impolitely less than ideal, but she understands that they don't have a conventional senpai-kouhai relationship. If anything, it looks like You is the most responsible member of Aqours, barring Dia.

She giggles at the thought, something that doesn't go unnoticed by the others. Her laughter dies down when she realizes they've gone silent, once again staring at her expectantly. Before she can retreat back to her usual self, Chika asks, "Riko-chan, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" She smiles invitingly.

"Chika-chan," You warns, "What did I say about putting people in uncomfortable positions like that?"

"It's fine, don't worry," Riko says. "Even though you three consider me a friend, I guess you don't really know a lot about me, huh?" They look at each other for a few seconds before nodding. "And I guess that's also my fault for never saying anything about myself. So I figured that, maybe I should try to change?"

"Okay. Okay!" Chika seems far more enthusiastic than before, her eyes sparkling as she figures out what she wants to know about Riko. "Alright, let's start with something simple then. What are your hobbies?"

"Reading," She blurts out, "and playing the piano." The three seem to be in agreement, like they had been expecting that answer.

"What's your favorite subject?" Yoshiko asks.

"Music and English." She scrunches up her nose, but then seems to receive some sort of epiphany, her lips curling up into a smile. She doesn't say anything else, making Riko all the more nervous.

"What's your favorite food?" This time, it's You's turn to ask a question.

"S-sandwiches." She wonders if her new friends will consider her boring after knowing that.

"What kind?"

"I like all of them, but...I prefer ones with eggs.".

Chika looks at her friend, mischief clear in her expression. "And _why_ are you so curious, You-chan? Are you planning on making something for Riko-chan?"

"Chika, I swear-"

"That's enough, you two." The four turn towards the source of the new voice.

"Dia-chan!" Chika smiles, letting Dia sit next to her. "Are you done with your student council stuff?" She nods.

"Yes, unless something important comes up, I've finished today's paperwork. What were you all talking about?"

"Not much, we're just learning about Riko." Dia gives the redhead a small smile, silently apologizing for the other three's actions. She shakes her head in reply. "Also, we're talking about You and Riko."

"By the way Dia, you're a bad influence on Chika." The student council president stares at Yoshiko, her killer stare demanding Yoshiko to elaborate. "You shouldn't have told her about shipping."

" _Excuse me?_ " She asks, a lot more defensive than Riko expected. "Shipping is an important part of idol culture, of course I had to tell her! Besides, what does shipping have anything to do with this?" She stops, her eyes going from one girl to the next as realization dawns on her. Her expression goes deadpan as her gaze ends on Chika.

"It's not polite to ship your friends, Chika."

"Ehehe." She chuckles nervously. "I mean, we were just having fun y'know?"

"Even so..." She pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing. She faces Riko, lowering her head in a bow. "I apologize if you were bothered by this."

Chika nods guiltily. "We're sorry. Right, Yoshiko-chan?"

"It's Yohane! And...right, we're sorry."

"Really, it's no trouble," Riko says, suddenly feeling very nervous now that everyone is apologizing to her. "No harm done."

"Either way, I hope you'd still be our friend," Dia says, coolly. She would never admit that she was just as nervous as Riko at that time. "You can tell me if these three are bothering you."

"Oh come on, we weren't _that_ bad!" Chika argues, although it looks more like she's trying to stop Riko from ratting her out to Dia than anything else.

"Hey, why don't I get an apology?" You whines, drawing a laugh from the others. Eventually, the conversation returns to normal, with them talking about anything they can think of. Within this short time period, Riko feels like she's learned more about them than she did within the past week. How Dia is serious, but not to the point of being a 'fun-killer'. How Yoshiko switches between herself and Yohane, both with their respective personalities and quirks. How Chika is like a leader both in and out of Aqours, and serves as a balancing force whenever things get too crazy (even when she's the reason things got to that point in the first place).

But most interestingly, she learns a lot about You despite her talking the least. When she talks she's spirited and loud, saying whatever she thinks. But there are times where she looks like she wants to say something but doesn't.

You feels left out. Even though all four of them are friends, she might not be as close to them as they are to each other. She can understand how You feels, because You's like a reflection of herself when she was a first year.

"So Riko, how about it?" Chika asks once again, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Do you want to join Aqours?"

It's still the same offer, but feels different. She looks at the group she considered odd a few days ago. Right now, she doesn't belong in any group. She's always being left out. But she reminds herself of her wish when she first came to Uchiura; her wish to change herself for the better.

If she doesn't _try_ to change, then she won't. So maybe doing something crazy, even joining an idol group, is as good a first step as any. And maybe she'll find someplace she belongs in.

Slowly, Riko nods her head.

"...I think I'll give it a try."


	19. Imitation

"Alright everyone, that's it for today. Be sure to bring the finished homework tomorrow, or you won't be allowed to take the test.

By the end of the teacher's statement, exactly zero people were listening. Not even Ruby, the usually proper and respectful girl. As she puts her Chemistry books back into her bag, she takes out a piece of paper and unfolds it. She smiles as her eyes land on the School Idol Club's flyer, a growing sense of pride welling up in her chest. Even though she doesn't have it in her to join, the thought that she helped them at the start, that she contributed to their success, even if it's something as small as this, makes her happy. Maybe someday she'll meet a fellow idol fan in college, point to an Aqours poster hanging on their wall and proudly say that she knew them before they were famous. For an idol otaku like her, that's pretty much as good as it gets.

Maybe except for actually joining the group. But...that's not really something for her. She's happy that her sister can live out her dream, but she won't be joining her any time soon. Her spot is in the crowd, cheering loudly for her favorite groups. Not on stage.

"Ruby-chan?" The voice of her best-and for a time, only-friend breaks her out of her stupor. She shoves the flyer back into her bag, being careful not to crumple it too much.

"Hanamaru-chan!" She smiles, closing her bag and putting it on her shoulder. "Are we going to the library today?" Hanamaru nods, smiling as well.

"Yep! We just got a shipment of idol magazines and I want to show them to you." Ruby nearly jumps at that. Since when did the library get shipments of idol magazines? In fact, since when did the library get shipments at all? She asks the last question to Hanamaru, who shrugs.

"The new headmistress gave me some money to buy more books, since I'm the one in charge of the library every day. It's great! I bought myself a few history books and magazines for you."

Right. Mari. Ruby still isn't used to hearing her name after a year of being gone, but even now she can remember how carelessly she acts with her money. Whether it's paying for ice cream and drinks or getting them all express-passes during the rare occasions they go to an amusement park (even when the lines were a few minutes at most), she seems to have an endless amount of money wherever she goes. It doesn't really make a difference; they're friends, after all. But Mari insists on doing it whenever she can.

Compared to that, putting a first-year in charge of a few tens-of-thousands-of-yen isn't too far-fetched. Maybe this is something she's doing to help Uranohoshi, by adding more books to their library. Still, Ruby can't imagine why Mari would have to do something like that. Dia told her that things weren't that bad yet, and there's no way Dia would lie to her.

"We're here, zura!"

Hanamaru opens the door to the library, revealing the familiar room lined with shelves of books. Within a few days, the teachers had put Hanamaru in charge of the library, as last year's librarian will be focusing on her studies and no second-years are interested in holding the position (other than maybe Dia, who has her hands full with student council business). Because of that, the library is a sort of safe haven for the pair.

Today, Ruby can see boxes, some open and others closed, on the floor all over the library. On the librarian's desk, stacks of books have amassed themselves for Hanamaru's reading pleasure. Just how much money did Mari give her?

Hanamaru makes her way to the desk, maneuvering around the boxes all the while. Ruby follows until they're both behind the desk, a magazine in Hanamaru's hands. Ruby's eyes widen when she recognizes the figures printed on the cover.

"Is that...?" She asks, her voice lowered in a conspiratorial tone. "Is that µ's?!"

"It is, zura!" Hanamaru answers proudly. She sits down behind the desk, leaning against the wall and Ruby joins her. "I went hunting for idol magazines since I got you the A-RISE one. There are still more." She points towards a box nearby, implying that it's filled to the brim with even more idol magazines. "We can read as much as we want until you have to go home."

As excited Ruby is at the idea, she can't help but feel some concern for her best friend. "W-what about you, Hanamaru-chan? Don't you have to go home as well?" Said girl quickly brushes off the concern with a shake of her head.

"I already told my grandparents that I'll be coming home late, so there's no problem."

Ruby's eyes widen, her surprise clearly showing. "Hanamaru-chan...you lied?"

"I-I wouldn't call it _that_ , zura!" She says sheepishly while averting her gaze. "I mean...it's just a little white lie. And since it's for Ruby-chan, it's totally okay!"  
"But still...," Ruby trails off, watching Hanamaru's face for any sign of discomfort. "Do you even know when the last bus leaves? What if you get left behind?"

"I told you not to worry about it, zura," Hanamaru insists. "Who's gonna keep you company if I leave first? Dia's still working in the student council room, and You's hanging out with the other second-years."

"Then let's compromise." Ruby's tone leaves no room for argument, something that she likely inherited from Dia. "I can ask my driver to come pick us up earlier. Then he can drive us to your house first. Would that be okay?"

Her _driver_. Even now, Hanamaru struggles to comprehend the amount of wealth the Kurosawas possess or how high they are on the social ladder compared to her. A large part of that is because of how normal they are in their day-to-day lives. Still, it's these occasional, off-handed remarks that remind her of that fact.

"Oh, there's no way I can do that," she argues. "I'd be too much of a bother. Beside-"

"No you wouldn't!" Ruby interjects. "You're always like this, Hanamaru-chan. You're never a bother."

The two stare at each other, neither willing to burden the other with their own wishes. But eventually, Hanamaru sighs. "...alright then." She relents. "You're a lot more stubborn nowadays, aren't you Ruby-chan?" She asks in a teasing tone.

"Well, it's fine isn't it?" Ruby says. "You should really prioritize yourself more."

"Is that so?" Hanamaru opens the magazine in her hands, turning it to the first page. "You should really look in a mirror, zura."

"Huh?" Ruby stares at her friend, confusion written all over her face. "Are you saying I don't?"

"You don't do it enough," Hanamaru corrects the redhead. "You're the smartest girl I know. You skipped a grade! You should be more proud of that."

"I-it's really nothing, though," Ruby says. "I was only motivated to do it because I wanted to be in the same class as you."

"Zura?"

"Pigi?!" The color of Ruby's cheeks turns as red as her hair the moment she realizes what she just said.

"So...what Matsuura-san said was true?" Hanamaru asks, curious and hopeful at the same time.

Ruby looks like a deer caught in the headlights. She stares at Hanamaru with wide eyes, anxiety beginning to creep in. Before Hanamaru can apologize, Ruby nods slowly. "Y-yes."

The answer causes Hanamaru to freeze, her mouth open in shock. Rather than clearing anything up, more questions pop up in her mind. How much of what Kanan said is true? Did Ruby really talk about her a lot?

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Hanamaru clears her throat. "Uhh...we should get to reading, then?"

"R-right." Ruby leans over, staring at the magazine in Hanamaru's lap. The brunette begins flipping pages, something she's used to whenever they read these kinds of magazines. Idols aren't really her cup of tea, but they're Ruby's, and Hanamaru is more than happy to indulge her with frequent trips to the bookstore and hangouts in the library. "Oh, that reminds me. I brought some snacks for us today."

Ruby opens her bag, revealing a stash of bread and oranges, all of Hanamaru's favorites. She knows they're technically not allowed to eat and drink in the library, but it's not like they'd be punished for it. Who would punish them? Herself? They're allowed to break some rules every now and again.

Ruby offers the bag to Hanamaru, who takes one look at it before picking out some bread, muttering a quick thanks. As she does so, she sees a sheet of paper from the corner of her eyes. Curiously, she takes it and looks at it, much to Ruby's embarrassment. "W-wait, that's-"

"This is for the School Idol Club, right zura?" Hanamaru asks, her eyes sparkling as she hands the flyer back to Ruby. "Are you going to join?"

"N-no," Ruby answers, putting it back into her bag. Hanamaru visibly frowns at that.

"Why not?"

"Because...you know." Ruby sighs. "I'm not..."

"If this is about those kids back in middle school again-"

"It's not, I swear!" Ruby says, interrupting Hanamaru's warning. "I just don't think I can be a good idol. I'm not cute or talented enough. A-and I'm too shy."

"Who said that?" Hanamaru asks, sounding almost angry. She begins going over the pages of the magazine, trying to remember what she can from the hundreds of conversations she's had with Ruby. Eventually she reaches a page, and she sees one person who she definitely recognizes. She points towards a bespectacled brunette with purple eyes. "This is your favorite. Hanayo, right?"

"That's right," Ruby answers with a nod.

"Why do you like her so much?"

Ruby seems to ponder over the question for a bit, before replying, "I guess because she's kind of like me?"

"Exactly!" Hanamaru exclaims loudly. "She's like you! If she can be an idol, then why can't you?"

"It's not that simple, Hanamaru-chan," Ruby says. Without giving Hanamaru the chance to keep pushing, she says, "I don't want to talk about this. Can we go back to the magazine?"

"A-alright." Ruby smiles as Hanamaru goes back to the first page, the two beginning to read it. Today, not even the sweet flavor of bread can get rid of the bitter taste on Hanamaru's tongue.

As the two get in Ruby's car-black, Hanamaru notes, and she wonders if it has anything to do with _Kuro_ sawa-a thought appears in Hanamaru's mind. "How's Dia going to come home zura?"

"Oh, she takes the bus these days," Ruby says as the car begins to move. After the first few times riding a car when Hanamaru was convinced that they were metal death traps, which in a way they are, just not the way she thinks, the novelty of it has worn off for her. "When she comes home is pretty random thanks to student council work. Sometimes she's home by five, sometimes seven, so she thinks it's too much trouble having someone wait for her. Which is why she takes the bus."

"Dia is really responsible, isn't she?" Ruby looks like she agrees, but she seems almost melancholic for some reason.

"She is, but...she's a lot busier now. She comes home late then goes to her room and only comes out when it's time for dinner. I miss the times when we'd talk about idols and stuff like that," Ruby says, staring out of the window.

"You really love her, don't you?" Ruby nods. "Do you want to spend more time with her?" Ruby nods again, albeit more skeptically. "Then why don't you join the School Idol Club? Then you can spend more time with her."

"That's not fair, Hanamaru-chan," Ruby says, although it's accentuated with a small giggle at the end. "You know I can't. "She'd be even busier fixing my mistakes if I do."

"That's not true. You'd be a great idol. I'll be cheering you on every step of the way."

Ruby shakes her head. "If anyone here would be a great idol, it would be you."

"M-me?"

"You're such a good singer! And you read a lot of books, so I bet you can write amazing lyrics."

"Ruby-chan can sing _and_ dance. And you can draw, so you'll be able to make costumes."

"Aqours already has two costume designers. They don't need another one."

"Well in that case they don't need another lyricist either." Ruby frowns at Hanamaru's logic. She goes back to staring out of the window, watching as the landscape passes them by. She would've been content with that, but Hanamaru continues asking questions. "Don't you want to be an idol!"

"Of course I do!" The words come out of her mouth before Ruby can process them. "I do. I really, _really_ do. I've wanted to be an idol ever since I knew what they were."

"Then what's stopping you?" Ruby doesn't answer that question, much to Hanamaru's frustration. She moves closer to Ruby until they're shoulders are touching, startling the redhead. "If you don't think you're good enough, I can accompany you."

Ruby turns to face Hanamaru, giving her a look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

Hanamaru smiles. "Let's both join."

Ruby is, naturally, surprised by the turn of events. In fact, she'd think that she was hallucinating if Hanamaru didn't stare at her so seriously. It's as if she's willing to do anything just to get Ruby to join.

"Are you sure?" Ruby asks, attempting to change Hanamaru's mind. "I don't want you to do it if you're just doing it for me."

"Don't worry about me, zura!" Hanamaru replies cheerfully. "Just imagine it as…me being the Rin to your Hanayo, kinda like that."

Ruby gives her a deadpan look for a few seconds, before bursting out into giggles. Hanamaru pouts at Ruby's reaction; she's being serious here!

"That's…that's such a weird way of saying it," Ruby says between small bouts of laughter.

"But did it work?" Hanamaru asks.

Ruby gives the question some thought, before returning Hanamaru's smile with one of her own. "I think so. I want to be a school idol with you if it's with you, Hanamaru-chan."

"Me too! Let's do our best, okay?"


	20. Introductions

"Ruubyyy! I'm so proud of you."

"S-sis, you're overexaggerating."

The rest of Aqours watch as Dia continues to embrace Ruby, a wide smile on her face. Ruby seems to take it all in stride, even when Dia is close to strangling her from how tight the hug is. The seven members of Aqours are all gathered in the second-year's classroom, a temporary clubroom until they can find a more suitable one. Chika gathers Ruby and Hanamaru's application forms, putting it with You and Riko's in a folder marked "Aqours."

The two sisters eventually separate after being told that the meeting is about to start. As they take their seats, Chika stands up.

"Welcome everyone! So, since we already know each other," her eyes drift towards Hanamaru, who gives her a confused look in return, "...to some extent, I think we can skip introductions for now." No objections, so Chika continues, "The only problem is that although we _know_ each other, we aren't really close to each other except for a few people. And I have a way to solve that," Chika says proudly.

"We're gonna divide into a few groups. Last time, I was in charge of lyrics, Yoshiko was in charge of costumes, and Dia was in charge of composing and choreography. This time, we'll work together with someone else who can do that. So for example, Hanamaru-chan!"

"Y-yes!" She sits up straighter, nervously sweating when she sees Chika grinning at her.

"You're also a lyricist, so you'll be working with me."

Hanamaru seems disappointed at that, and a quick glance in Ruby's direction makes it obvious why, but she nods. "I won't let you down, zura."

"That's the spirit!" Chika says much more eagerly.

You sighs in relief. Unlike Hanamaru, she'll be working on the costumes with Yoshiko, someone she's already comfortable with. Things should go much smoother this time.

That is, until Dia raises her hand to interrupt. "Chika, hold on. We don't have another choreographer."

"Really?" She looks around the room only to realize that ' _yes, really'_. Her expression becomes downtrodden at that, but lights up when she realizes something. "You, you took dancing lessons when you were younger, right? You can help Dia with that. And for the costumes, Ruby can help Yoshiko."

"M-me?!" Ruby shrinks back at the stare Yoshiko is giving her. Meanwhile, Dia glares at Yoshiko as if asking whether she thinks Ruby isn't good enough. Hanamaru is watching Chika with a blank expression, and Riko is too engrossed in her book to care. The only person who seems happy with the current arrangement is Chika.

Only a few minutes into the planning phase of their next song, and Aqours is a mess.

"This is important for us to get to know each other," Chika says with her unending optimism, acting like the light at the end of a tunnel. "I'm sure you'll all find it a lot of fun. At least give it a shot, okay?" Some seem more reluctant than others, but everyone agrees with Chika's decision. It _is_ for the good of the group, after all. She moves on towards the song itself. "For the theme, I was thinking of something slower than last time. Not really sad, but more like...emotional? So the costumes shouldn't be as flashy."

"Darker colors?" Chika nods, and Yoshiko's smile turns even wider. She pulls out a piece of paper and a pencil. "I think I can do that. Any colors you have in mind?"

"Something like a sunset. Something warm. Dark but warm." Yoshiko writes that down on the paper, acting a lot more professional this time.

"Well, since we'll be doing our own thing, I'm gonna leave early today. Ruby, you coming?"

"Right. See you at home, sis!" Dia's eyes widen at the realization that Ruby is going to be working together with Yoshiko for a while. Her precious, innocent sister working with Yoshiko. Before she can stop them, they've already left the classroom.

"I'm sure Yoshiko'll take care of Ruby," Chika says after noticing the Dia's depressed look.

"I suppose...perhaps I'm being a bit too overprotective of Ruby," Dia admits begrudgingly, much to Chika's delight.

"That's the spirit! They're gonna make some great costumes, I just know it. So, Hanamaru-chan, where should we work on the lyrics?"

Chika's informal way of calling her startles Hanamaru, who seems embarrassed that someone other than Ruby is calling her that. "T-the library is quiet, isn't it zura?"

"Good idea!" Chika picks up her bag, waving at the last three as she and Hanamaru head towards the door. "Well, see ya' tomorrow!"

"S-see you later zura." The door closes behind them, leaving You, Riko, and Dia in an awkward silence. The latter takes her bag and stands up. "I'm leaving as well. You two can go home."

"What?" You asks. "Why?"

"We're not going to get anything done until the lyrics are finished. And I have some work that has to be done, so I'm leaving."

"Woah, hold on a second." You grabs Dia's arm, forcing her to stop. "You heard what Chika said. She wants us to get to know each other."

"We did get to know each other. Don't act like we've never seen each other before today." Dia forcibly pulls away from You's hold, grumbling underneath her breath. "...if you're that insistent, however, then you can come with me to the student council room. As long as you don't try to bother me."

"O...kay then." You gulps at the glare Dia is giving her. Maybe accepting the offer wasn't a good idea? Then again, Dia wouldn't have even offered it in the first place if she didn't want her there, "Riko-chan, you coming?"

"R-right." Riko quickly stuffs her textbooks into her bag before closing it. _She must be a really studious girl,_ You thinks, amazed that people like her and Dia are friends with people like Chika and Yoshiko. "To the student council room, right?"

"Correct. Let's go then." Dia says, opening the door for them once they've gathered everything up. The walk from the classroom to the student council room is spent in silence other than the sound of their footsteps. Awkward silence is not one of You's strong points.

"What kind of work do you need to finish, Dia?" You asks. Dia seems to raise her brow at that.

"Why do you need to know? Are you planning on joining the student council next year?"

"Well no, but-"

"Then there's no use for me to answer that. Stop asking me those kinds of useless questions, it's annoying." You frowns.

"Well I'm sorry for trying to have a conversation...you don't need to take it so seriously." She huffs, pouting. Just what the hell does Yoshiko see in her anyway? She's beginning to like Dia less and less.

"Although we are friends, I'm afraid that I agree with You on this one," Riko says. You perks up, happy that Riko's taking her side, while Dia gives her a betrayed look. "Dia, are you okay? You seem somewhat different recently. I-I mean, not that I'd know how you normally act since we've only known each other for a few weeks, but still."

"I'm fine," Dia says curtly, although it almost sounds like she's angry. The trio finally reaches the door leading to the student council room, Dia digging in her pockets for the key. As soon as she finds it, she unlocks the door and opens it, leading the other two in. Riko's the last to enter, closing the door behind her.

The room is a lot messier than the last time You came in, back when Kanan was the one in charge. Papers scattered everywhere, lockers filled with equipment they might use, and a few tables that were taken from around the school take up the empty space. The papers also placed on these tables makes You think that it's for the other members, so Dia can watch over them while they work.

Dia sits down, takes out a pen, and begins working on the mountains of paperwork, while You and Riko sit down on the opposite side of the table from her. They give each other glances, both trying to find a way to break the awkward tension surrounding them. Neither of them can find it in them to do it.

The sound of paperwork being done fills the room, and You realizes this is going to be a long day.

The bus trip to Yoshiko's apartment wasn't much better for her and Ruby. Their relationship could be described with one sentence; more than strangers, less than friends. Their interactions before this had been confined to occasional meetings in the Kurosawa's house while Dia was busy doing something else. And even then it would end up being Chika who talked the most.

Clearly, putting two girls who lack social interaction outside of their inner circle might be a bad idea. It doesn't help that Ruby is a little scared of the Yohane persona, and Yoshiko even more scared of what Dia would do if she messed up with her sister.

No words were exchanged on the bus, or as Yoshiko led Ruby to her apartment, and then into her room. Ruby looks around, observing all kinds of odd items placed around the room. Crystal balls, tarot cards, her fallen angel wings. The tidiest part of Yoshiko's room is next to her desk, where a summoning mat has been placed on the floor. She folds in and puts it away before sitting down, beckoning Ruby to do the same. Even now, with all kinds of questions about things in Yoshiko's room floating around in Ruby's head, she still doesn't say anything. It's awkward, to say the least.

She doesn't look like she's going to attempt to break the ice, so Yoshiko decides to suck it up and get it over with. "So...we should get to work now," Yoshiko says, being careful not to accidentally go into Yohane mode.

"R-right." Ruby nods. "Do you have any materials we can work with?"

"Does this count?" She pulls out a plastic bag and offers it to Ruby, who takes one look at it before finding something off.

"It's...all red?" She asks curiously. Yoshiko, embarrasedly, nods her head.

"It was, uhh, for our last set of costumes. Dia's," she says quickly. "I thought there would be more red in the costumes, but in the end I got so much of it leftover that I just don't know what to do with it."

Ruby gives Yoshiko a small, comforting smile. "I understand. Well, in that case, we can probably use this material for the next costumes. Chika said that she wanted warm colors, right? I think red counts."

"That's a great idea!" Yoshiko goes over to her desk, taking a few sheets of paper and some writing tools before returning to Ruby's position. "What do you think the design should be? I was thinking something like a suit would work well with darker shades."

"No, I don't think so," Ruby shakes her head. "I think a dress would work much better. Suits have a tendency to give off a cool vibe, right? But Chika said she wanted the next song to be emotional, so I think dresses would better fit that " Ruby takes one of the papers and a pencil, beginning to make rough sketches of the design she had in mind. "Is that fine with you?" She asks, stopping as she looks up from the paper.

"Uhh, sure. Go ahead." Yoshiko replies, watching Ruby work in awe. "You're not stuttering anymore," she says the last part to herself, but Ruby still looks up from her task again to regard Yoshiko.

"What did you say?"

"It's nothing." Yoshiko waves off casually. She takes another paper and pencil and begins outlining her own design. Only a few minutes later, she hears Ruby exclaim that she's finished. She stops working on her half-finished design to look at Ruby's.

The first thing she notices is that the girl she drew is, undoubtedly, Hanamaru. She raises her brow curiously at that, but decides to ignore it for now. Ruby's costume idea is much simpler than her own, but that might be necessary considering the sudden increase in members. Overall, she can't find anything bad about the costume, and she admits that it's a lot better than her own.

(Also, there's no way Dia would reject her sister's design. That'll save a lot of time.)

"...is it okay?" Ruby asks, taking Yoshiko's silence as rejection. Relief washes over her face immediately after Yoshiko nods in approval.

"I think this is fine. We should just figure out the smaller details and colors and stuff." Yoshiko puts away her design just in case they can use it for a future song, watching as Ruby diligently continues her own. She wonders if diligence is something the Kurosawas share.

When Ruby finally puts down her pencil for a break, Yoshiko says, "You're pretty good at making costumes." The statement causes Ruby to blush slightly.

"N-no, not really. I just, umm, I'm not good at dancing, or singing, or anything really, so this is the least I can do. I have to work as hard as I can so I can be as good as my sister. So I can...stop being compared with her."

"But you _are_ good. Chika told me that you helped her with the flyer, too." Ruby nods.

"I did, but that was just because my sister asked me to. I just want to make her happy."

Yoshiko hums; they're not too different there. "So that's why joined Aqours? Because you wanted to make your sister happy?"

"That's...not exactly. I joined because Hanamaru-chan asked me to. And...I've always liked idols and I thought it'd be nice to give it a try. Even though I don't think I'll be any good at it." Yoshiko takes another look at Ruby's costume idea, and thinks that she probably shouldn't worry about that.

"Well, I never even thought about being an idol, so I think you're fine." Yoshiko smiles, and Ruby does as well. "So, should we keep going?"

Hanamaru unlocks the door to the library, and a second later Chika barges in. "So this is the library!" She exclaims in a loud voice. Hanamaru cringes, closing the door behind her as she walks in.

"Yes. Don't shout in the library, zura," Hanamaru says, watching as the other girl looks around the room in awe as if she'd never been in it before. Which doesn't make sense, of course. She's a second-year, there's no way she's never been to the library before today.

"So, what do we do now?" Chika asks, leaning against one of the shelves and giving Hanamaru a mild heart attack when it begins to lean to the side. She pulls Chika away, breathing a sigh of relief when the shelves don't topple over. Chika gives her a bashful smile, and Hanamaru sighs. Can they really work together when they're so different?

Hanamaru walks towards the section marked "Literature" and starts scanning it for any books that they could use for ideas. It takes a while, but she eventually finds a poem compilation book.

She reaches for it, only to discover that it's just slightly out of her reach. She tries jumping to see if that would work, but the book's still too high up. She's close to giving up when she hears Chika's voice coming from behind her.

"Hold on, let me get it for you!" Chika's body casts a shadow over her as she takes the book Hanamaru was attempting to get, causing the first-year's cheeks to turn bright red. This...

This is like one of her romance novels!

 _Wait, Chika's not that much taller than me._ Hanamaru thinks, pulling herself out of her own imagination. She turns around, discovering that Chika's pulled up a stool from somewhere in the library. _Right. I should've thought about that._

Chika hops down from the stool dangerously, smiling as she hands Hanamaru the book. "So what are we gonna do with this?" She asks curiously. Hanamaru leads her towards a reading area at the back of the library (that's more than a little dirty. She should probably clean it up sometime) and goes towards a table that seems to be the least dusty one. She sits down, turning the book to its first page.

"A poetry book is a pretty good start, zura," she states, her eyes moving from each word to the next, each line of the poem being imprinted into her memories. "Song lyrics are basically just poetry with music, aren't they?"

"Well, I guess if you put it that way," Chika shrugs. "Do you mind if I do something else to pass the time."

"As long as you don't leave the library." Chika smiles, walking away from Hanamaru. Not a minute later, she returns with a familiar magazine in her hands.

"Hanamaru, do you think I can borrow this?" Chika asks, her eyes sparkling as she makes her request. Hanamaru looks up, her eyes going to the idol magazine she's clutching tightly. "This is the really rare 'Love Live! 5th Anniversary Edition' isn't it? I've been looking everywhere for it, but I couldn't find any stores in Numazu that had it. Where'd you even buy it?"

"Tokyo," Hanamaru says, remembering the arduous process of finding the edition that she assumes Ruby would like, then finding a store that sells it. And of course, the only stores that sold it were in Tokyo, so she had to order them online. She can't thank Mari enough for helping her with all of that. "I got it for Ruby-chan, so you'll have to ask her if you want to borrow it."

"Aww..." Chika frowns, giving Hanamaru an even more pleading look. "Not even a little peek?"

And Hanamaru would've argued no, not even a little peek, until she realized how to kill two birds with one stone. She's sure Ruby wouldn't mind lending her the magazine for a little bit.

"After you finish the lyrics, you can read it." The sparkle in Chika's eyes return. She walks towards the table, plopping down beside Hanamaru.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get cracking!" Hanamaru can't suppress a small giggle at Chika's sudden enthusiasm. Maybe they can work together after all.


	21. Intrigue

Hanamaru blinks at the piece of paper in front of her. Despite the number of books she's read, no combination of words can truly describe the amount of surprise she's feeling right now. All she can ask is, "How?" The piece of paper, being an inanimate object, doesn't respond.

The cause of her surprise is lounging on the floor with an idol magazine in her hand, reading it with an intense expression. Not ten minutes after Hanamaru made the deal with Chika, she's already written down the title, two verses, two choruses, ending, and even detailed who should sing which parts. _And the lyrics are amazing! Just how did she do this?_

Although Hanamaru probably spent more time trying to decipher Chika's handwriting that Chika did writing it. There are even times where she mistakes Chika's writing of her name with the number nine.

So as Chika enjoys her well-deserved reward, Hanamaru spends some time rewriting her lyrics into a more readable form. Luckily, she's experienced in calligraphy, so her handwriting is much better. Whenever she's not sure what a character is, she asks Chika about it who seems guilty for having such an indecipherable handwriting. Even so, Hanamaru finishes rewriting the lyrics not long after. She hands it to Chika who takes a picture of it and sends it to the Aqours group chat. The group now has all the members of Aqours except for Hanamaru, who relies on Ruby texting her information to know anything, but the loudest members are still the three original ones.

"Well, we finished our job," Chika says, pocketing her phone before returning to the magazine. "You heading home soon?"

"I think I'll stay here for a bit. Do you mind if I read that with you?" Chika shakes her head, and Hanamaru sits down next to her.

"Do you like school idols too?"

"Not really," Hanamaru admits. "I'm really only into it because of Ruby-chan. Her favorite is, uhh...Koizumi Hanayo."

"Hanayo's great! She's my second favorite, just behind Honoka." Chika smiles, waiting for Hanamaru to finish reading before flipping to the next page. "What about you? Who's your favorite?"

"...Hoshizora Rin."

Chika nods, seeming to approve of Hanamaru's choice. "She's also great! Why do you like her?"

"Because...she's Hanayo's friend, zura." Chika stares at Hanamaru for a few seconds, dumbfounded, before suddenly laughing. "W-why are you laughing?"

"It's cute! That's...kind of a funny reason to like a character," Chika says, calming down after a few seconds. "So hypothetically, if Ruby liked Eli, would you like Nozomi?"

"Maybe?"

"Well that's no good!" Chika frowns. "I have to teach you about idols! Then you can make up your mind about who you like the most. When are you going home, by the way?"

"I got time." That seems like what Chika wanted to hear, as she hands Hanamaru the magazine.

"Study this," she orders. "I'll bring you some things from my own collection so you can learn more about them."

Hanamaru, confused, responds with a nod.

Hours pass as the trio of Dia, You, and Riko remain in the student council room. Dia continues to busy herself with whatever paperwork she can get her hands on, while You and Riko continue to stare at her awkwardly. Eventually Dia's had enough, putting down her pen before looking at the clock hanging on the wall. "It's quite late, you two should head home. Especially you, You. You live in Numazu, correct?" You nods. "The last bus should be leaving soon. Also, can you stop by Yoshiko's and see how Ruby is doing? Tell her not to come home too late."

"Y-yes, Ma'am!"

"But what about you, Dia?" Riko asks, concern showing on her face. "Shouldn't you be heading home as well? The sun's going to set soon."

"I'll be fine," Dia says, paying no heed to her concern. "I just have to finish these sets of paperwork and I'll be home after that." She places her hand on a stack of papers, which will easily take another hour if you're rushing it, or two, maybe three if you're as meticulous as Dia.

"What are you working on anyway?" You asks, leaning forward to get a better view of them. Dia flips the papers over, covering them from You's line of vision while glaring at the younger girl.

"It's just something Mar- the chairwoman has given me to do. The other members are already done, so I'm just going over them one more time and doing some finishing touches."

You's eyes go towards the pile of papers, still unfinished. "Those don't look like 'finishing touches' to me."

"I'm used to it," Dia says with a hint of finality. "Now then, you'll miss your bus. Riko, you too." And just like that, she shoos the two away, locking the door once they're both out of the room.

"What's up with her?" You directs the question towards Riko, hoping that she would know because they're in the same class together. Unfortunately, she replies to the question with a shrug.

"I'm not sure. But Dia's definitely a bit weird...even Chika and Yoshiko told me that she's different from her usual self. Maybe she's just having a bad day?"

"Well, it seems like every day I've seen her she's been having a bad day, so maybe it has something to do with me?" Riko giggles at You's statement, both of them smiling at the little joke.

"Me too! Maybe it's both of us that's stressing her out?"

"Maybe." The two walk away from the student council room, heading towards the bus stop in front of Uranohoshi.

When she sees the two silhouettes behind the door leaving, Dia lets out a tired sigh. Her eyes go down towards the paper in front of her, the words "School Closure" staring back mockingly.

A knock on the door interrupts Ruby and Yoshiko from their current task. The redhead puts down the fabric and needle in her hands. "Who could that be?" Yoshiko shrugs. Her mom usually isn't home this early, and she'd tell her if she is. Yoshiko stands up, leaving Ruby to work alone. Despite the shaky beginning, they make a good team once they got into the rhythm of things. They've sketched out the costumes for everyone, along with the colors everyone will wear. Although the planning stage is arguably the easiest part, they should be able to finish the seven costumes soon, especially with two people working on them.

She hears some talking coming from the front door, followed by someone entering the apartment. Yoshiko re-enters the room with a smiling You in tow. "Ruby-chan!" She greets cheerfully. Ruby returns the greeting, albeit with less enthusiasm. "How's it going with the costumes? Everything going okay?"

"Y-yes. We'll probably go buy the materials tomorrow and start making it. I don't think it'll take us longer than a few days."

"That's great! Great." You breathes a sigh of relief. "I don't know what'll happen with Dia if you miss the deadline again."

"Me neither," Yoshiko says. "Oh, can we borrow your sewing stuff? Or can we sew at your house and hang out?"

"I don't mind. It might be a pain carrying all that stuff, so feel free to drop by at my place."

"Thaaanks." Yoshiko smiles. "Here, check out the costumes Ruby drew. Aren't they cute?" She hands You the paper Ruby drew in.

"You're right! These are super cute."

"I-it's nothing," Ruby says bashfully, not used to being praised by someone other than her sister. "I just wanted to make a dress, so that's what I drew."

"It's so cool though...no wonder Dia asked you to make the flyers. Speaking of Dia, she asked you to not to come home too late."

"I-is it really that late already?" Ruby checks her phone for the time, her eyes widening when she realizes that she'll miss the bus back to her home. "I have to get back. I'm so sorry, Yoshiko."

"Don't worry about it," Yoshiko assures, helping Ruby pack up her stuff. "Tell Dia 'hi' for me, okay?"

"I will. I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, and you too, You. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She bows before running towards the entrance, putting on her shoes. The sound of the door opening and closing follows soon after, leaving You and Yoshiko alone.

You looks around the room, noticing the not-small amount of stuff everywhere. Her eyes find a camera and a tripod pushed to the corner of the room. She walks over to it while Yoshiko is distracted tidying up from their assignment. "Is this what you use to stream?"

Yoshiko looks up at You's direction, noticing the camera she's holding. "Yeah. I haven't done one in a while since we're so busy with Aqours and everything. I promised my followers a stream later this weekend, though."

"That's neat," You says, placing the camera back on the tripod. "Is it hard?"

"Kinda." She shrugs, putting the leftover materials back in the plastic bag. "But it's not bad if you really like it. Like how we are with Aqours. It's mostly fun. Plus...the money isn't bad. It cost a lot to get started, but after a while I'm making some money back."

"You get paid? That's so cool!" You looks baffled, but Yoshiko expected that to be honest. That's how Chika and Dia reacted when she told them that as well. "What do you do with it?"

"It's not a lot...I just buy whatever stuff I need for the next stream and give the rest to my mom."

"Woah...you really _are_ a good girl."

"Shut up! I am no such thing, I'm the Fallen Angel Yohane!"

"Whatever you say, Yoshiko-chan~"

"It's Yohane! Yo-ha-ne! You messed it up on purpose!" Yoshiko's accusation was left unanswered by You. As the sun begins dipping below the horizon, Yoshiko turns on the lights in her room, sighing under her breath. "I hope Ruby gets home safely. Dia's gonna murder me if she doesn't."

"You're a lot more responsible than I thought you were," You says suddenly, putting her hands in front of her when Yoshiko gives her a curious look. "I-I don't mean that in an offending way. But..."

"I know, I get it," Yoshiko says. "I'm not as air-headed as Dia might make you think."

And there it is again. Dia. With a nervous tone, she asks, "Is something going on with Dia?"

"So you noticed it, too?" She lets out a humorless chuckle. "She's been like this ever since the year started. It's weird, but...it's happened before in our first-year, so I hope things go back to normal soon."

"I hope so, too," You says, attempting to cheer her up. Just then, she feels her phone buzzing. Checking it, she sees a message from Dia. "...looks like Chika's done with the lyrics. Dia wants us to get to work tonight."

"You're with Riko, right? I feel bad for you two." She gives her a pat on the back as a sort of comfort. "Good luck. I really want this next song to be good."

"Thanks, Yohane-chan." You says, getting ready to leave. "Just come over whenever you need to borrow my stuff."

And so, began the week of hell for You. She didn't expect to have to work at ungodly hours in the middle of the night to work on their choreography for their next song, but Dia doesn't see anything wrong in that.

The chat with her, Dia, and Riko is mostly Dia doing frequent progress checks, offering tips and dividing work between the three of them, which would be helpful if she was struggling with making the choreography, but does nothing to help her stay awake.

Riko hasn't said anything in the past thirty minutes. You doesn't know if she's concentrating on playing the piano or if she's already asleep. It could be either at this point.

' _It's quite late now. Tomorrow's a weekday. You should go to sleep.'_ Dia's latest text reads. _'We'll continue this again tomorrow.'_

The green dot marking that Dia's online turns off, and for the second time today, You breathes out a sigh of relief. She plugs her phone into the charger before jumping into bed, making use of the hours she still has left to sleep.

Elsewhere, Riko closes the lid on her piano, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she prepares her book and uniform for tomorrow-or rather today, she realizes after looking at the clock. She's happy, elated that the old passion she had for her piano is returning. A feeling of nostalgia hits her with every key played, reminding her of all the memories she made. She can't help but let out the occasional tear of joy while playing.

Now, she has another chance. To make more memories with her piano, with the rest of Aqours. It's a thrilling prospect.

As she checks her phone, she can't help but frown at seeing all of the messages she's missed. Dia has been acting weirder recently, for reasons unknown even to her closest friends. It doesn't help that certain 'rumors' have been spreading. Could the rumors that some students quit from the student council be true? That might explain Dia's current mood. She'll have to ask around, but definitely not to Dia. That would just make her even angrier.

Once she's done getting ready for school, she looks out of her balcony window. The light to Chika's room is off, so she's already asleep. She should too; she doesn't want to wake her up by playing the piano.

Picking up her latest doujin, she lays down on her bed and reads until she falls asleep.

"Holy shit you're a fucking mess."

That's the first thing Yoshiko says to You when they meet at the bus stop the next morning. And for good reason. The first sign that something's wrong is that You is late.

"Thanks, Yohane-chan, I wouldn't have known," she says sarcastically. "Don't worry, I'm not sick or anything. Just tired."

"Well, yeah. I can see that." Yoshiko rolls her eyes, although behind the hard exterior You knows that she's genuinely worried about her. The bus arrives, and when they both sit down Yoshiko gives her a surprising offer. "You can use my shoulder if you want to sleep."

You stares at Yoshiko like she had just said something insane. Which is saying something considering everything she says on a daily basis. "Are you...making a move on me?"

"No! Don't get the wrong idea. I don't like you in that way. This kind of thing isn't awkward if it's just between friends."

"I don't think that's how it works."

Yoshiko shakes her head. "Look, you need to sleep. Should you overwork yourself without rest you'll get sick like me, and it would be much, much worse if one of my little demons got sick," Yoshiko says. "And you also lent me your shoulder when...when I cried, so it's only fair. A shoulder for a shoulder."

"You're weird."

"You're mean!" Yoshiko huffs. "Whatever, it's not like I'm looking out for you or anything."

"I'm not saying being weird is a bad thing." You laughs. "Well, if you're offering then."

Yoshiko tenses up as a weight settles on her shoulder. "...I'm already regretting this."

"Too bad."

The Aqours meeting after school that day was pretty much the same as the one from the day before. Hanamaru and Chika going to the library, while Ruby and Yoshiko go to her apartment. Today, however, Dia explicitly said that there's a student council meeting, and You and Riko should go home immediately.

Right now, You, Yoshiko, and Ruby are on the bus, heading towards the shopping center at Numazu. Ruby's prepared enough money for them to buy anything they need (the other two balked when she pulled out a few ten-thousand yen bills), and they've already thought about what colors they want and how much of each, although they decide to buy extra, just in case.

With all that in mind, they begin shopping for fabric and accessories alike. Ruby asked if they should buy another sewing machine that they can keep in the clubroom, but eventually decided that it wasn't needed yet.

After an hour, they paid for their stuff before heading to You's house, where they began working on the costumes.

A calm before the storm.


	22. Introspection: Dia Kurosawa

"Kanan-chan!"

The third-year pauses, turning around to see two familiar girls running towards her. She waits until Yoshiko and Chika are both standing in front of her, giving them a second to catch their breaths before asking, "What's up you two?" She glances at her watch, realizing that she doesn't have much time until classes start. "As much as I'd love to help you two, I have a class to catch. Can we do this later?"

"No, wait." Chika grabs a hold of Kanan's arm, staring at her pleadingly as she forces the older girl to remain in place. "We won't take long! We just wanna talk to you about something."

"It's about Dia," Yoshiko says, a grimace appearing on Kanan's face not a moment later. Surprisingly, this wasn't the first time she heard those exact same words this week. Just a few days ago, she remembers being confronted by Ruby after her classes. With how much Ruby dislikes being around people she doesn't know, that says a lot about how important it must be for Ruby to go through that.

As the previous student council president, Kanan is used to meddling in other people's affairs. Whenever an argument breaks out between classes, she's there to be a mediator. But this time, she doesn't think she's the right person for the job. She starts walking again, fighting against Chika's hold on her. She grunts; since when did Chika get so strong? "Aren't you two her best friends?" She asks, giving them a look. "I'm sure you two can knock some sense into her."

"But Dia doesn't respect us as much as she respects you," Yoshiko argues, and for a small moment Kanan can see something else in Yoshiko's expression, not unlike sadness. It was only there for a split second before it vanished, Yoshiko's expression returning to the concerned one she had earlier. "She'll just brush us off if we tell her, and this is really, really important."

The school bell rings, and Kanan resists the urge to sigh. No doubt she's going to get a scolding later from the teacher, about how an ex-student council president should behave more like one, but honestly she couldn't care less.

Although she feels bad for Chika and Yoshiko, as their scolding would come straight from Dia herself. Kanan admits that she would much rather receive one from a teacher than Dia.

"Alright then." She nods, Chika finally releasing her grip on her arm. "Let's talk."

"Attention students. To Dia Kurosawa of Class 2-B, please head to my office immediately."

In the middle of a math exam, Mari's voice blares out of the speakers, startling the students in the class. Dia can feel some of her classmates giving her a curious look, as well as some chattering as Mari repeats her announcement. What she finds peculiar isn't that, but how Chika and Yoshiko occasionally glance at each other, then to her, then back to each other. She narrows her gazes at them. Are they related to this?

A strict command from the teacher forces the rest of the class to quiet down. Dia stands up, handing the filled-out exam paper to the teacher before excusing herself. She closes the door shut, leaving her in the silence of the school's empty hallways. The only sounds accompanying her journey are the sounds of her footsteps and breathing. It's moments like these where she finds herself missing Chika and Yoshiko's excited conversations, dragging her into something new and mysterious. But now isn't the time for that.

As she makes her way through the hallways, going through the motions to reach Mari's office at a fast pace, she wonders about what Mari wants. At first she thinks that it will likely be something ridiculous and nonsensical, but she reminds herself that Mari has changed a lot since becoming headmistress. She feels an involuntary shiver run down her spine at the realization that it could be something incredibly serious. Is it about the current state of the school? She's trying her best, but it's hard when she's the only one in the student council doing any of the work.

Before she realizes it, she's standing in front of the door to Mari's office-looks like she's about to find out why Mari wants to see her. Knocking on the door, she waits for permission to come in before pushing the door open. To her surprise, Mari isn't the only one in the room. Sitting beside the blonde, Kanan is also looking at her with a neutral expression. "Dia," Kanan greets without her usual, easygoing smile. "Please sit down."

Confused, Dia obeys the order without question. Mari asks, "Do you know why you're here?" A standard question to ask, Dia thinks as she shakes her head.

"I don't believe you've told me about this before," she says. Kanan is the next to ask a question.

"Do you think you've done anything that could've gotten you called here?" Dia gives the question some thought before shrugging, much to Kanan's exasperation. "Do you know anything about the student council meeting held a few days ago?" Dia's eyes light up in realization.

"That's right, I did call for a meeting. Is that what this is about?"

"Correct." Kanan nods. "What happened during the meeting?"

Dia presses a finger to her chin as she recalls the event. "Well, there were two members of the student council that demanded they be allowed to go home sooner. We had a...disagreement, and in the end, I asked them to step back from their roles in the student council."

"And you shouted at them," Kanan says, less of a question and more as a fact. Dia nods her head. "Why?"

"I'd much rather have a few members dedicated to our goal than have many members who are disinterested in the student council."

"And I understand that," Kanan assures, making sure that Dia doesn't get the wrong idea. "But you can't just look at things from your perspective, Dia. Do you know why they wanted to leave early?" Dia tries to think of an answer, but comes up with nothing. "They live in Numazu. Think about that. Every day you keep them at school late, they'll miss the last bus back home. Once that happens, the only way they can go back home is if their parents picked them up, or if they walked." Dia seems surprised by that, and for the first time Kanan can see something else in her emerald-colored eyes other than disinterest. Guilt.

"I didn't know...," she mutters softly. "...they never told me."

"And do you know why they didn't tell you? Or what about why no one wants to be your vice-president?" Kanan asks, staring at Dia. "Because they're scared of you, Dia. They don't want to make you angry. It was bad enough back in your first-year, but now it's even worse ever since-"

"Ever since the Yoshiko incident." Dia interrupts, a frown on her face. She remembers how her friends seemed to respect her more ever since her outburst, but maybe it was less respect and more fear. Kanan's nod only confirms it.

"Dia, listen to me carefully, okay?" Dia slowly nods her head. "...I think you're a workaholic. And before you say anything, I don't mean it as a joke or a praise. I mean the actual medical definition." Kanan waits for Dia to absorb the new information before speaking again. "You're stressed a lot which doesn't help matters. You have a habit of finishing all of your paperwork before schedule, and before you ask *no*, that's not a good thing either. The schedule is there so you can manage your time between student council work, studying, social life, and sleep. You can't just finish all of the paperwork for a week in a few days and then ask for more. At that rate, you'd be spending too much time in school. And you especially can't force other members of the student council to work at your pace."

The expression on Dia's face is different. Guilt and confusion forming a pit in Dia's stomach, making her feel even worse. Kanan wishes she can stop, she really does. Dia is a good person who has good intentions. She thinks that a scolding should be enough and everything would go back to normal.

But she knows from experience that it's nowhere near that easy. Her job is to solve conflicts, and right now Dia has caused a lot of conflicts, within and outside of the student council. Dia needs to understand the full weight of what she did.

"Everyone in the student council wants to do more than just do paperwork every day. They want to hang out with friends, go to cafes, sing karaoke...like normal high-school students should. Like *you* should, Dia. Be honest with me, when was the last time you went out with them?"

"I...I can't remember." Dia admits shamefully. "It's been a while."

"And they're both worried about you, Dia. Do you know how worried they are now that you keep skipping lunch just to work in the student council room? And not just them, do you know how worried Ruby is? You always come home late, then you lock yourself in your room finishing schoolwork that you can't finish *because* you spend too much time in the student council room. She even told me that you had a fight with your parents because you always skip dinner, too. Do you know how dangerous that kind of thing is? And for what? Because of the school?"

"...I just wanted to help," Dia says. She sounds worried, concerned, scared. So unlike the Dia she knows today, but so similar to her younger self.

"And that's a good thing." Kanan smiles. "You're a great student council president. You're a lot better than me. But you're not the only member of the student council, Dia. So maybe just...take a little break?"

Before Kanan can say anything else, Dia stands up, her head bowed. "I'm sorry, I don't feel so well. Please excuse me."

"Wait, Dia!" Kanan reaches out, but Dia has already turned around and run out of the door.

"...is she gonna be okay?"

The hallways were still empty when Dia walked out of the office. She could've returned to class, brush off her classmates' questions and act like nothing happened...

But she really did feel sick. No, after what Kanan told her, she felt disgusted. She runs towards the bus stop outside of school, only wanting to go home right now.

She thought she was just fine. The workload was getting to her head, making her feel stressed 24/7, but workaholicism wasn't even something that crossed her mind. She didn't even know it was a real thing.

There's nothing wrong with working hard, she reminds herself. But this isn't why she works so hard.

Dia works hard so she can be a role model, but now everyone dislikes—maybe even despises—her.

Dia works hard so she doesn't burden anyone, but all she's done is burden the other student council members.

Dia works hard so people wouldn't worry about her, but now everyone is worried about her. Chika, Yoshiko, Ruby, Kanan, Mari; probably everyone else who's interacted with her.

Dia works hard so she can make other people happy, but all she's done recently is make people miserable.

Dia works hard, and she doesn't want to think about how none of it is good.

The bus stops in front of her, and she immediately gets on, sitting down on an empty seat at the far back.

She feels lightheaded, and when she looks down she realizes that her hands are shaking. It's like all of the guilt from everything she did is hitting her all at once. The time she got angry at her parents even though they were just concerned about her. Or when she got angry at the two student council members even though they were trying to compromise with her.

Or when she got angry at Yoshiko even though she did her best to make the costumes from scratch with no experience. And she embarrassed her, _hurt_ her, because Dia claims to be a perfectionist who wouldn't accept anything less. She no longer feels like she deserves forgiveness.

It's terrifying to realize how her good intentions have turned out so horribly. People don't judge each other by their intentions, but by their actions. And Dia's actions are nowhere near good. She feels disgusted that she didn't realize when everyone else was having a hard time, yet she kept pushing them on. Not a kind push like Chika, but a hard shove.

When the bus stops in front of her home, she runs straight into the house and to her room, ignoring the voice of the housekeeper greeting her. She doesn't know if the dizziness she's experiencing is because of all the meals she's skipped or something else. She goes into her room, locks the door, and curls up into a ball as she begins to cry.

Dia realizes she'll never be like Eli, or any of the idols she admires. Because Dia is a horrible person who can't even take care of herself. She can't even get people in her school to like her, much less the rest of Japan. Aqours would have a better chance of winning without her.

Dia doesn't go to school tomorrow.


	23. Intervention

The school bell rings. Another day of studying begins. But today, there's one big difference.

Dia's seat is empty. By how surprised the teacher seemed when she realized Dia wasn't present, it seems like Dia didn't even give an excuse for why she's not there.

Chika thinks back to the odd text she received from Dia last night. All she said was that she wasn't coming to school tomorrow, and an 'I'm sorry', while Chika's questions were left on read. Yoshiko received the exact same thing, and just like with Chika, Dia didn't respond to any of her following messages.

Of course, Chika and Yoshiko are worried about her. This doesn't seem like something Dia would do as a joke. But while they've concerned themselves with that, some of their classmates seem to be somewhat relieved. Members of the student council in their class are the happiest, as they're finally getting a break from all the paperwork.

During lunch break, You's just as surprised to hear that Dia isn't at school. Although it's normal not to see her during lunch, she'd usually be working.

Yoshiko seems to be deep in thought. Even when Dia never contributes to the conversation, the lack of her presence is unusual. It's like there's something missing.

"...so wait, You."

"Yeah?"

"You didn't know that Dia didn't come to school until we told you?" You nods her head. "So Ruby didn't tell you?"

"She didn't."

"So, either Ruby doesn't know either...," With how those two live together, that's highly unlikely, "Or she's keeping it hidden."

"Or maybe it's nothing serious?" You adds, closing the lid to her empty lunch box. "If she just caught a cold, I don't think it's important enough for Ruby to tell us." As true as that statement is, Dia wouldn't let something like a cold hold her back. Hell, she got a fever once and still went to school.

"I think we should just visit her later," Chika says. "Maybe we should stop by at the store and pick up some matcha pudding?"

Yoshiko discreetly digs out her wallet and does a quick count in her head. Buying a few cups of pudding shouldn't make too much of a dent in her savings. "Sure, let's do that. You, you joining?"

"Mmh...I'll pass. I got some things to do." You pauses, her finger tracing small circles on the cafeteria table as she thinks. "I guess that means no Aqours practice today?"

Yoshiko and Chika shake their heads simultaneously. "If it's not too much of a bother though, can you continue with the other stuff for the song?"

"You mean like the costumes and choreography? I'll tell the others."

"Thanks You." Chika smiles, patting her friend on the shoulder. As the three return to their respective classes, she tells Riko the same thing as well, ensuring that Aqours will stay on schedule for their next song. That's what Dia would want, if she was here.

"Did you hear?"

"About what?"

"Dia is absent today."

Kanan pauses from her work, looking up to face Mari's unreadable expression. She taps her pencil against the wooden desk, a habit she displays whenever she's in the middle of contemplating something. Ever since Kanan started doing her homework in Mari's office, she's begun to pick up on the blue-haired girl's little habits.

Although she'd never say it like that, because then it'd be _way too obvious_ that she watches Kanan a lot of the time.

The sound of the pencil against wood stops and Kanan lets out a small sigh. "...I didn't expect her to react so badly," Kanan admits. "I guess that's my fault."

"No, it's not," Mari says, trying to cheer her up. Her attempts seem to be in vain, however, against Kanan's legendary stubbornness.

"I was the last student council president, Mari." Kanan lowers her head guiltily. "And...I did a really shitty job. That's why the school is in such a bad spot right now. That's why both you and she are forced to pick up my slack. If...if only I did a better job, Dia wouldn't have to overwork herself like this."

"No no, none of that here." Reaching over, Mari pinches both of Kanan's cheeks, pulling them up into something that resembles a smile before finally letting go. Kanan makes an indignant sound as she rubs both of her cheeks, glaring at Mari half-heartedly. "You're your own worst critic, just like Dia. Although I wasn't here last year, Dia and the others wouldn't talk so highly of you if you were as horrible as you said you were. Besides, no offense but..." She sighs.

"...it was going to happen sooner or later. No one could fix it alone, not even Dia." A silence overtakes the room, a sign that Kanan at least understands that. "Dia's busy with the student council and the idol group, so we should try to help her in both for the sake of the school."

"What, so you're suggesting we join the idol group?"

"I didn't say _that_. I was thinking more of funding them and being their manager." Mari grins, giving Kanan a very obvious once-over. "Although I wouldn't mind seeing you in an idol outfit either. I think something that shows off your abs would suit you best."

"I'll sue you."

"Try me, Matsuura." Mari laughs, her usual response to Kanan's threat. "Nothing money can't solve."

"Well, let's see if your money can help you with this." Grabbing a stack of paperwork almost half as tall as her from beside the table—those must be heavy, Mari thinks, noticing a faint outline of muscles as Kanan struggles to lift it—Kanan drops them right in front of Mari with a loud thud. Mari wouldn't be shocked if the table collapsed immediately, but somehow the old wooden table remained upright. Kanan puts her hand on top of the stack, with a cheeky grin on her face.

"...I see," Mari says, somewhat surprised that there's still so much work to do. "So I guess we should start working again now?"

"We should," Kanan says. Mari sighs, taking a paper from the top of the stack. "Dia's working hard, so we should too."

"I got it, I got it~" Despite her words, Mari isn't good at working when it's quiet. She decides that having yet another conversation with Kanan would be less distracting than listening to one of her rock albums, and also a lot more interesting. Not to mention that there's something from yesterday's incident that still bothered her.

"How did you figure out what was going on with Dia?" Mari asks. "I didn't even know that work addiction was a real thing, and I didn't think you'd know so much about it, either."

Kanan shakes her head. "...Dad went through the same thing a few years ago." That perked Mari's interest. Kanan's laid-back father doesn't seem like the kind of person who'd spent days hunched over paperwork. "He always felt like Mom and I deserve better than the diving shop. So he wanted to make more money, then one thing led to another and..." Kanan trails off, but quickly adds when she notices the distressed look Mari's giving her. "Dad didn't get angry at us or anything, he's not like that. He was just tired all the time, and you can tell he wasn't enjoying his job anymore. Then one day he just...collapsed."

"Oh my god..." Mari's eyes widen. "Was he okay?"

"We had to close up shop early that day. When he woke up, he said he was okay, so we had to force him to go back to bed. It was kinda funny." She chuckles, although from Kanan's pained expression she can tell that it's just her trying to lighten the mood. "But in the end, everything did work out. He talked about it with a psychiatrist that understood workaholism, and eventually, he managed to work it out of his system. And now our business is better than ever. I even have my own speedboat!"

Mari smiles. "It's like a fairytale ending, isn't it?" Kanan nods in agreement before pausing. It seems like she's realized something, as she suddenly narrows her eyes at Mari.

"...are you trying to distract me so you don't have to work?"

"What?" Mari scoffs at the ridiculous idea, even though Kanan's completely right. Her pen hasn't moved since Kanan started talking, forming a small puddle of ink underneath it. "Oops."

Kanan sighs, smiling as she moves the ruined paper to the side. "Whatever. We can just print another one." She stands up, putting a hand in front of Mari to stop her from getting up as well. " _You_ stay here and keep working." Mari pouts, muttering something about Kanan being a bully. She ignores it, and when Mari grabs another paper from the stack and begins working, Kanan walks out of Mari's office and towards the teacher's lounge, the only place in school where she knows the printer is working.

Right now, as she walks alone with nothing accompanying her, Kanan feels overprotective of Dia. She can't understand Dia's exact feelings, but she's seen how it could affect them and the people around them.

Dia has always been like this, in a way. This time, Dia should get some rest, for everyone's sake.

As the bus slows to a stop, Chika and Yoshiko are waiting anxiously to see Dia. In Chika's hand in a bag containing a cup of mikan pudding and strawberry pudding for each of them, as well as half-a-dozen cups of matcha pudding.

They quickly get off before knocking on the door. A person neither of them recognizes opens the door for them, giving them an appraising look. "...are you two perhaps, Dia-sama's friends?" She asks.

"U-uh, yes," Yoshiko answers, curious about the polite way she referred to Dia. Could she be a housekeeper?

She nods, although the expression on her face is quickly replaced by sadness. "Unfortunately I don't think she wants to see anyone right now. She's been in her room since earlier this morning."

That's not enough to get Chika to give up. In fact, she only looks more determined to ensure that Dia is okay. "We'll help her! Please don't worry."

The maid still seems hesitant, but she allows them to enter the house. "If you're able to talk to her, please remind her to eat lunch."

"She hasn't had lunch yet?" Well that's just not healthy. There's no way Dia can get better if she doesn't eat. With that in mind, Chika and Yoshiko navigate the traditional household, trying not to get distracted by all the interesting things in Dia's house ("her family's loaded," Yoshiko mutters as they pass by a massive painting of the Kurosawa family). Until finally, the pair finds themselves in front of a door leading to Dia's room. A knock on the door goes unanswered, as well as Chika calling out Dia's name. "...do you think she's asleep?"

"She probably is, but...I don't think she would mind if we came in." Chika guesses, and although Yoshiko would usually choose not to, considering it to be a breach of privacy, there's something about the current situation that feels off, so she agrees instead. Chika gently opens the door, surprised when she discovers that it's not locked. And so, they walk in.

Dia's room isn't quite as serious and dull as Yoshiko thought it would be, with idol posters and figures lining the walls and desks, and a bookshelf that remarkably contains more books about idols than studies.

In the corner of the room, they notice Dia laying on her bed, her body half-covered by a blanket. She's facing the wall, so neither of them can tell her expression. But Yoshiko can. Whether it's because of how her hair that's usually neat and straight is a mess, or how her bag seems carelessly tossed to the side and her uniform is in a pile at the other corner of the room, or the trash can peeking out from underneath the bed, filled with tissues. Yoshiko can tell that Dia isn't feeling well.

Chika doesn't notice these things before walking up towards Dia's form. "Hey, Dia-chan."

"Chika," Yoshiko immediately interrupts. "She might be asleep. What if you wake her up." Her worries are unfounded, however, as a third voice enters the conversation.

"I wasn't asleep," Dia says with a hoarse voice. "I've been awake ever since you two came in."

"Great!" Without a care in the world, Chika sits down on the edge of Dia's bed. "We brought you pudding if you want to eat something." She motions towards the plastic bag.

"Although you should eat something more substantial than that," Yoshiko advises. It's rare for her to be the voice of reason, but Chika definitely wasn't going to be, so she'll have to take one for the team. Dia takes one look at the bag before getting up, turning towards Chika and Yoshiko. And that's when Yoshiko notices just how bloodshot Dia's eyes are. Chika seems to have noticed the same thing, as she flinches for a moment before returning to normal.

Taking out a cup of pudding for each of them, they begin to eat quietly. Dia still seems to have something on her mind, so after Chika finishes hers, balancing the empty cup on the pile of tissues—she seems to have just noticed those, too—she asks Dia about it. "Are you okay?"

"Do I _look_ okay?" Dia snaps, although she seems to immediately regret it the moment the words leave her mouth. "I'm sorry. It just...came out suddenly. I'm not thinking straight."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Chika asks, and Dia hesitates for a brief second as she ponders over the suggestion.

"...can you keep it a secret?" Both Chika and Yoshiko nod simultaneously. "...have you ever felt like everything you ever did in your life was a mistake?" Not...exactly. But Dia continues nonetheless. "I think I did. I...I really did mess up. Kanan told me yesterday that I was a workaholic."

"That's not a bad thing, right?" Dia shakes her head, letting out a tired sigh before continuing.

"It's worse than it sounds...it's kinda like an actual addiction. Whenever I'm stressed out, I'd just start working. And I thought that was okay, but...I'm also making some people unhappy because of that."

Dia pauses, and Yoshiko thinks that she's doing to cry from the way her eyes glistened. But she pushes through, although not without her voice cracking slightly, "Working hard is the only thing I'm really good at. I-I'm not cute like Ruby, or athletic like Kanan, or good at dancing like Mari. I wasn't born with any talents or anything...so I thought I could make up for it by putting my all into working. I really thought that. And all I wanted was to fulfill my parent's expectations, b-but I can't even do that!" Tears finally begin rolling down Dia's cheeks, and no matter how quickly she tries to wipe them away, she can't stop more from forming. "I was only good at working, but I can't even do _that_ right anymore. I'm useless. I'm...I'm..."

The words are stuck in Dia's throat. She didn't want to say it, because the moment she did, she would be admitting it to herself. A bitter truth that would permanently destroy the sweet lie Dia has been living in for all this time.

But in a single moment of weakness, Dia has to say it. She has to say it to someone who wouldn't judge her like her parents would, who don't rely on her like Ruby does, and who she's not trying to impress like Kanan and Mari.

And so, the remains of Dia's facade cracks in half.

"I literally can't do anything good. I'm trash." Dia admits, her words ringing in her ears. She's never felt so worthless before, to feel like she truly deserves those contemptuous stares her classmates shot her throughout the years. To feel like she's unworthy of her own name.

And she knows that she might be making it a bigger deal than it really is. She knows that reality isn't as cruel as she thinks it is; reality would give her a second chance. Yet as she feels her own emotions overflowing, she can't help but be grateful of her friends who would never judge her. Even as they hug her, attempting to comfort her, it's so much simpler than the crushing weight of her responsibilities.


	24. How Can I Help?

"Good, you two are here," Kanan says as Yoshiko and Chika enter the headmistress' room, motioning towards the two seats across from her. Beside her, Mari has a similarly grim expression. "Let's just cut to the chase then. I assume you two know about what's going on with Dia?"

Chika and Yoshiko nod hesitantly.

"Right. Okay then," Kanan manages to smile a little, hoping to ease their worries. "So, Dia isn't really in a good state of mind right now, which is somewhat my fault." Mari shoots her a glare, but she ignores it. She's not feeling up to arguing with her right now. "Did Dia tell you everything?"

"Not _everything_ ," Yoshiko shakes her head. "She just told us about what you told her, about her being a workaholic. And then..." She stops, looking uncomfortable as she tries to find the right words to describe what happened yesterday. "And then she was a bit...self-deprecating. Or a lot."

Kanan sighs, although it really shouldn't have come as a surprise for her. _Dia's always been really hard on herself. I guess this isn't any different._ "...that's why I called you two in here today. If it's not too much trouble, could you two try to help Dia out?"

"Us?!" Chika asks in disbelief. Kanan nods. "Why us?"

"Well, you two are her friends," Kanan states factually. "But I understand that you have classes and the idol club to think about. So if you two can't do it, it's oka-"

"We'll do it!" Yoshiko shouts, surprising everyone else in the room. "It's not a bother, we'll do it." She then seems to remember that the deal didn't involve just her, and glanced at Chika for permission, who also nods her head.

Kanan blinks at them, stunned for a few seconds before finally continuing. "Okay then, thanks a lot, you two! She's pretty stressed out right now, and usually, she'd work it off, but I think that's just going to make it worse. If you can help her de-stress any other way, like playing games, that would help her recover faster."

"In other words, we're just supposed to cheer her up?"

"That's the short version of it," Kanan answers, "Try to keep this a secret from Dia; you two know how she is. If she finds out, she'll just think that she's being even more of a burden."

"Which is bad," Chika concludes. "So we should just hang out like we normally do."

"Exactly." Kanan smiles. "I'm sorry that we have to ask this of the two of you, but someone has to keep the student council running while Dia's away, and since there's no vice-president, I might as well do it. Plus, I'm trying to get rid of as much of her workload as possible for when she comes back."

Mari goes through a small stack of papers before finding the one she needs, handing it to Chika and Yoshiko. "Dia will be absent for around a week, so give that to your homeroom teacher in case she asks."

"A week?!" Chika exclaims, surprised that Dia will be gone for such a long period of time.

"When you're sick, you should rest a lot. This isn't any different," Kanan says. "Anyway, that's about it. If you have anything you want to ask about the whole workaholism thing, you can always ask me. I can help you with pretty much anything"

Yoshiko stares at Kanan curiously, her eyes feeling like they're peering into her soul. "Personal experience?"

"You can say that." Yoshiko nods upon hearing her response, and Kanan can't shake off the feeling that she knows more than she lets on, as well. She takes a look at the clock in the room, realizing that classes had started a few minutes ago. They must've missed the bell.

"You two should head to class," Kanan advises. She notices out of the corner of her eye how Chika and Yoshiko follow her gaze to the clock, their eyes widening when they notice the time as well. With the paper Mari gave them in Chika's hand, they run off, hoping that the teacher won't punish them if they're not too late.

As the door closes behind them, Kanan turns her gaze towards Mari. The blonde's eyes are locked on her phone as she scrolls through her messages. "How mad are they?"

"The board?" Mari asks off-handedly, tossing her phone carelessly to the table. Kanan winces as she hears it clatter loudly. "Everyone except my dad is pissed off at me. He's not a fan of the idea either, but I think he has a soft spot for Dia."

Kanan has to resist the urge to plant her face on the table. There was no way the school board would approve of Mari allowing Dia to skip school with no repercussions, yet she ignored them and did it anyway. Even with the Ohara's influence, there's no way Mari is getting out of this one with her reputation unscathed.

"How bad is it?"

"Not...that bad," Mari says, the pause in the middle of her sentence telling a different story entirely. "Nothing beyond empty threats, I assure you. They're starting to regret appointing me as headmistress, but they're not going to do anything about it yet." She shrugs, showing that she either doesn't care, or she's _pretending_ not to care.

"For your sake, I hope you're right," Kanan mutters. "But did you really have to give Dia a week off?"

"I didn't, but I wanted to." A cat-like smile forms on her lips as she spins around on her seat, stopping once she's facing Kanan. "Besides, I also know how these things affect people. Having Dia in school wouldn't just be bad for her, but everyone else."

"Is it worth it losing the board's trust, Mari?" Kanan asks more forcefully than before. Just like before, Mari shrugs it off.

"Are you saying that you wouldn't you do the same in my position?" Kanan's brow wrinkles, and Mari giggles. "We both care about her well-being. I want to see her back to normal as fast as possible. And it's not like they put much faith in me before. I can't lose what I never had."

She stands up and begins walking to the door. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I need to meet up with some teachers to organize Dia's schedule for when she comes back. You should head to class, too, Kanan. Don't think I don't notice you skipping classes by hanging out with me here."

"Welp, you caught me," Kanan says, rolling her eyes at Mari's joke as she stands up.

"It's fine, though." Mari smiles, letting Kanan exit the room before her. "I enjoy your company a lot, Kanan." Mari gives her a small pat on her back, her hands lingering for a second before she walks in the opposite direction from Kanan's classroom. " _Ciao_ , Kanan!"

"Don't push yourself too hard." Kanan sighs, turning around and making her way to her classroom, her footsteps echoing loudly. She knows that Mari is strong, and she doesn't need her help.

Still, she worries.

The door to the classroom slams open. No one looks up except for Riko, her eyes meeting Chika and Yoshiko's as they frantically look around the classroom. When they see that the teacher hasn't come in yet, they smile and give each other high-fives. "We're not late!"

"Yes you are," Riko grumbles as the two go to their usual seats. Dia is still absent, just like yesterday, so Riko guesses she'll be responsible for keeping these two under control. "Just because the teacher isn't here yet doesn't mean you're not late."

"We're not going to get in trouble, though. That's good enough, right?" Chika asks. Riko exhales loudly, unable to find it in her to argue with her. The first-period teacher arrives not long after, and after greeting the class, asks them to turn in their homework. Both Chika and Yoshiko turn to look at each other with shock etched on their faces, and Riko quickly deduces why they reacted that way.

"Did you forget your homework?" Chika turns towards Riko, tears in her eyes as she gives her a pleading look. "You know that it's too late to help you now. You shouldn't put them off until the last second, or else this will happen."

"We...weren't putting them off." Chika pouts, her expression becoming dejected. "We just forgot about it."

Yoshiko nods, supporting Chika's statement. "Usually Dia would remind us to do our homework, study, and stuff like that. But since she's sick, we forgot about it."

"Seriously?" Riko asks, almost in disbelief. "Don't you two think you're relying on her too much?" Neither of them answers her verbally, although the guilty looks on their faces are enough indication. It makes her feel like she kicked two puppies, for being the reason they look so sad.

"What if I help remind you two in Dia's place?" She offers. "At least until she gets better. Does that sound good?"

"Really?" Chika is smiling, and although it's not as cheery as her regular one, it's close. "Thanks, Riko-chan! You're the best." Her happiness wouldn't last long, however, as the teacher soon arrived at their table, and Chika and Yoshiko were chewed out for forgetting their homework.

Riko feels sorry for them, because if they really did forget everything for today, they probably didn't remember—and haven't studied—for the exam next period, either.

With the day's struggles behind them, Chika calls the other members of Aqours to her class. But instead of meeting for the sake of practicing and preparing for their live, the reason for them to meet that day was the exact opposite.

"As everyone may know, Dia's not feeling so well right now." No one questioned her, because yesterday's canceled practice was enough to give her statement credibility. "Yoshiko and I have to visit her while she's sick, so that means everyone's on their own for about a week."

"A week?" Riko exclaims. She and the others react in the same manner Chika did, with complete, utter shock. "I thought she just had a cold! Is she going to be okay?"

"She's gonna be fine," Yoshiko reassures. "Mari just asked us to check up on her to give her the homework she missed." No one buys the lie, as expected. You don't leave school for a week for no reason. But Chika and Yoshiko seem to have things under control, which is enough for the others.

"Buuuut, the live show's coming up soon and we still haven't finished everything. So we were thinking if everyone wouldn't mind working on it by themselves?" Chika knows that her request is selfish, especially considering that she's the leader. Luckily for her, none of them find any problems with that, which she's incredibly thankful for. "Hanamaru, since we already have the lyrics done, could you help Ruby with the costumes?"

"Alright, zura!" She replies cheerfully, smiling brightly at her childhood friend. Ruby returns the smile with equal intensity, a rare sight from the timid girl.

Satisfied, Chika moves on to the next two. "You, Riko...can you two handle the composing and choreography without Dia?"

Riko shrugs, her eyes going towards You. "I wouldn't mind. At least it means we don't have to stay up late waiting for Dia anymore, right?" You giggles at that, smiling at Riko.

"Yep, I don't mind either," she says, unaware of the mischievous look Chika is giving her.

"Thanks a lot, everyone. Ruby, I'll bring you the costumes from my house tomorrow, alright? Just relax for today," Yoshiko says, preparing to leave. Just like Chika, she feels bad for leaving a lot of the work with them, but she can't help it. Try as she might, she's unable to forget about Dia breaking down yesterday, sobbing while she told them about everything she did wrong.

Even though she and Chika tried to calm her down, it didn't do much to quell her worries. It really felt like she could only watch as Dia struggled through her own problems alone, problems she wasn't even aware she had. At that time, she was unable to help Dia, even though she was right there.

So when Mari told her earlier that morning that she could help Dia somehow, she jumped at the chance immediately. She wasn't going to pass the opportunity to help her, even if it's something as small as this.

Rapid taps on her shoulder pull her back to the present. She looks up at Chika's beaming face, and almost jumps back at the closeness of the other girl. She can see the other four members getting ready to leave as well.

"Come on, Yoshiko. Let's head to Dia's house!" Chika says with clear excitement, taking Yoshiko's hand before walking with her. If not for her mind being in a state of disarray, she would be extremely happy to feel Chika's soft hand against hers, holding tightly but not so much it becomes painful. As it stands...

Well, she's still _extremely_ happy, but it just feels like something's amiss without Dia.

She lets herself be dragged by Chika all the way to the bus stop. From the corner of her eye, she sees Ruby and Hanamaru trailing a few meters behind them. The four of them wait quietly until the bus arrives, all of them but Hanamaru getting on the bus immediately after. Ruby waves goodbye at her, only stopping when the doors close fully and the bus begins to move.

"Aww, that's so cute." Chika—having watched the exchange—coos. "Those two are perfect for each other, don't you think?"

"Dia won't be happy if she finds out that you're shipping her sister." Chika laughs softly, a tiny smile gracing her features. But it's not like her usual smiles, which are radiant and gentle like the sun.

It felt...artificial.

Like the clouds hiding the sun, something is troubling Chika, stopping her from being her usual self.

As she pays more attention, even more things that are un-Chika-like come to her attention. Her fists clenched tightly on her lap, her downcast expression betraying her smile, and her lusterless ruby-colored eyes.

"Are you okay?" Yoshiko asks, cringing as the final word leaves her mouth. It was too late to take them back, as Chika is now looking straight at her. "I-I mean, you're kinda...different today."

Chika hums thoughtfully, considering the possibility in her head. "...I guess I am. You're different today too, Yoshiko."

"Different how, exactly?" She thought she was doing a much better job at hiding her feelings in comparison, but Chika is perceptive when it comes to other people's emotions.

"Different, as in, you never asked me to call you Yohane instead of Yoshiko." _Oh._ That was a pretty dead giveaway. Maybe the others noticed, too.

"I'm just worried about Dia."

"Me too. It's just that...do you remember what Riko told us earlier this morning?"

What Riko told them earlier that morning?

Yoshiko tries to remember their conversation, playing it back in her head as she tries to think of what Chika meant. And finally, it clicks.

"You think we're relying on Dia too much?" Was that the thing that has been bothering Chika so much?

"It's kinda obvious, isn't it? It's been two days without her and we're already a mess. We can't even remember to do homework without her," Chika's words are filled with frustration and anger. To whom the anger is directed to, Yoshiko can't tell, but it saddens her to think that Chika might have directed it to herself.

"It's just..." Chika gnaws on her lower lip, trying to find the right words to convey her thoughts. "I don't want to burden Dia with everything, y'know? I don't want to just rely on her. Especially not after you two put your faith in me to be the leader of Aqours. I...I want you two to rely on me, too."

With a pained expression, Chika forces a smile to return to her face. "Sorry, that must be a weird thing to hear. Who would want to rely on me, right?"

"No, I get it. In fact...I think I feel the same way as you." Yoshiko glances at Chika, noting how surprised she looks at Yoshiko's statement. "Actually, I was just thinking...Dia's like this because of stress, right? At least, that's what she told us yesterday. And we're probably not helping with how many times we ask her to help with our homework. So...since we're supposed to be her friends, I wanna help her out, even just a tiny bit."

"Yeah, you totally get me, Yoshiko!" Chika smiles, and for the first time today it actually feels somewhat genuine, even if it's only a semblance. "And...I miss hanging out with her because she's always working in the student council room, sometimes I wish I could help her with paperwork."

"That might be overdoing it, though...we're not even a part of the student council," Yoshiko says, putting a slight damper on their mood. "Let's start smaller, like right now. Cheering Dia up is just as important to help her get better."

"Oh, that's right!" Chika perks up, suddenly getting a new idea. "Should we get more pudding for her? I bet that'll help cheer her up."

"Well, I guess... But I bet she hasn't even finished the ones we bought her yesterday. If we buy more, they'll go bad before she can eat them." Yoshiko argues.

As the two begin debating about whether or not to buy more pudding, a single person has been quietly listening in, too scared to join the conversation. Sitting two seats in front of them, a single thought crosses Ruby's mind.

 _Somehow, I've been completely forgotten._

In the end, they decided not to buy more pudding, although the choice was made because of a lack of funds more than anything else.

By the time the bus reaches the Kurosawa household, Chika and Yoshiko are ready to get off and see Dia. Not a second after the doors have opened, the two run off the bus, the loud sound of their footsteps startling some of the other passengers. Ruby mutters a quiet apology before following after them, walking with a brisk pace so she wouldn't be left behind.

Chika knocks on the door, and just like yesterday, the housekeeper opens the door for them a few moments later. She seems to recognize them, as instead of asking who they are, she just says, "Please, come in. Dia-sama has been waiting for you two."

Yoshiko jolts in surprise, wondering how Dia knew they were going to come. Last time she checked, Dia wasn't a mind reader.

Entering the house, they retrace their steps from yesterday, finding her room easier than yesterday. Knocking on the familiar door, they're surprised when they hear Dia's voice coming from the other side.

"The door isn't locked."

Turning the doorknob, the first thing they see upon pushing the door open is Dia sitting on the edge of her bed. She has a cup of pudding in her hand, as well as a neat stack of unopened pudding cups sitting precariously on her bedside table ("I told you," Yoshiko whispers, nudging Chika in the ribs).

When Dia sees them walking in, she smiles and waves them over. "Chika, Yoshiko, come in. Ruby told me you two would be visiting," _So that's how she found out we'd be coming._ "Have some pudding. Do you two want something to drink?"

"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it," Yoshiko says, walking over to Dia's bed. "Are you feeling better?"

Dia grimaces, averting her gaze as she tries to avoid meeting their eyes. "Well, I feel a bit better. I slept in after Mari told me I'm not allowed to go to school. I think she's overreacting irrationally; she always babies me. Who does she think she is, banning me from going to school for a week?"

"The headmistress?" Dia rolls her eyes at Yoshiko's response.

"But honestly, I don't think I've had such good sleep in weeks." She chuckles a bit at her own statement before continuing. "Other than that, I've been eating, although I wouldn't exactly call it a balanced diet."

She glances at the trashcan near her bed. The tissues that had filled it yesterday have been replaced with empty pudding cups. "I just hope I don't gain weight because of this."

"I don't think you should worry about that, just focus on getting better," Yoshiko says, comforting Dia.

She sighs, sounding exhausted despite having said she was well rested. "I aware, I'm just slightly confused, that's all. I'm not very good at handling these kinds of things. Even now, I'm beginning to doubt if I'm really doing the right thing. My parents told me to get some rest, but I can't help but feel like I can do more..."

"What do you want to do?" Chika asks. "Not your parents, _you_. What do you want to do?"

Dia goes silent, thinking over the question in her head for a minute before answering, "I want to be helpful to everyone else...but that didn't turn out very well, did it? I'm just useless, and after that I even wasted your time by rambling for hours."

"Dia..." Chika's gaze softens as she crouches down in front of Dia, not letting her avoid her stare. "Don't say that. We're your friends. You can always tell us anything and that's not a waste of time. Heck, you can call me in the middle of the night and I'll always pick up the phone for you!"

"Same goes for me!" Yoshiko excitedly chips in. "The moment when the veil of darkness envelops the world is when we're at our most powerful. The fallen angel is always available for her little demons."

"Is that so..." Dia doesn't know why, but she's never felt so relieved to see the Yohane persona appear. It gives a strange sense of normalcy, that things can return to usual no matter how badly she fucked up. "In that case...thank you, both of you."

"You're welcome," Chika says, smiling when she sees the upwards curve of Dia's lips.

"In that case...would you mind if I made a request?" Dia asks shyly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks and causing Yoshiko to become embarrassed as well from how cute she is.

"Ask away!" Chika responds with just as much energy as before.

"Well, I'll be at home for a whole week, and I don't want to hold Ruby back by accompanying me if she wants to play with Hanamaru. So..." She trails off, embarrassed to say what she wants explicitly. She's said enough for Chika and Yoshiko to get the gist of it, however.

"Do you want us to hang out with you every day?" Chika asks, sounding more than a bit excited. Dia slowly nods her head, confirming it.

"You don't have to if it's too much of a bother," Dia adds, not wanting to force them. Her worries were unfounded, as they seem just as happy by the arrangement.

"Sure! We'll do anything you want for the whole week, okay?"

"Do your homework." The simultaneous pouts forming on their faces is too much for Dia, who bursts out in a fit of giggles at their displeased expression.

"Let's do something fun," Yoshiko suggests instead. "Do you have any games?"

"Not really, I never really liked them." Yoshiko shoots Dia an appalled look, which the other girl brushes off with a shrug. Chika looks around the room for something they can all do together, and immediately finds something that catches her interest.

"Why don't we watch some idol concerts?" She points at a box set of a μ's live on Dia's shelf. Immediately, her eyes shine with gleeful excitement as she moves to take it, as well as the laptop sitting on her desk.

"Of course! It's been a while since I last watched it, as well," she says, turning on her laptop as she sits back down between them. She and Chika are the most excited to watch, but Yoshiko can't help but be interested, as well. It might help her understand why the other two admire idols so much.

As the footage of the concert begins, Dia begins to loosen up. It was a welcome change compared to the Dia that was always frowning, and if Yoshiko was in a cheesy mood, she would say that watching Dia's face go through so many emotions is way more interesting than whatever is happening on-screen.

Dia might find Yoshiko staring at her weird, though, so she goes back to watching the concert. Just the three of them hanging out together like this is enjoyable, and she can feel her doubts about being the 'third-wheel' of their trio slowly melting away.

They still have a whole week to do anything they want, after all.


End file.
